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Reuters
15 minutes ago
- Reuters
Olesen, Li, Fitzpatrick lead Open, McIlroy rallies after nervy start
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland, July 17 (Reuters) - World number 354 Jacob Skov Olesen of Denmark, China's Li Haotong and England's Matthew Fitzpatrick shot four-under-par 67s to share the British Open first-round lead in tough conditions at Royal Portrush on Thursday. World number one Scottie Scheffler was one stroke adrift after a 68, and Rory McIlroy made a solid start to his bid for a second Claret Jug after recovering from a nervous bogey five at the first hole. That was three shots better than he managed in the 2019 Open at Portrush, but not what his legion of fans had hoped for after the world number two became the sixth player to complete the Grand Slam by winning this year's Masters. The Northern Irishman regained his composure to birdie the second and fifth holes and get to one under par. After early sunshine on the Dunluce Links, heavy rain made life difficult for the players. Qualifier Olesen sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the tough opening hole and eagled the 12th before making his second bogey at the last. "Obviously, annoyed to finish off with a bogey and not getting it up in two from there. But it happens, and whether it happens on hole seven or hole 18, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter," Olesen said. "I always feel like if I play my game that I can do well, especially around links courses." Li made four birdies in a flawless round. The world number 111 finished third in the 2017 Open at Birkdale after shooting a closing 63. "I think I had 18 highlights today. I tried to avoid a bogey and did it, which is great," Li said. "It's very tough, brutal." Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, eagled the second hole and notched up three birdies. "I just felt like I did everything well," he said. "Drove it well, approach play was good, and chipped and putted well. It was just an all around good day." American Scheffler picked up five birdies and was happy with his game despite bogeys at the ninth and 11th holes as he seeks his first British Open title. "Felt like I hit the ball nice off the tee, and really only had one swing I wasn't too happy with on maybe the second hole, so definitely a good bit of confidence for the next couple rounds," Scheffler said. England's Matthew Jordan joined the American on 68. Former world number one Lee Westwood, 52, and Dane Nicolai Hojgaard also began well with two-under 69s. Veteran American Phil Mickelson, the 2013 Open champion, rolled back the years with a 70, including a spectacular par-save when he holed out from a greenside bunker. "That bunker shot that buried in the lip, and then to make it, it was obviously a lot of luck. It was crazy. I was just trying to save bogey, and I got lucky," the 55-year-old said.
BBC News
15 minutes ago
- BBC News
'I want to have a more positive season'
James Milner says he is "feeling good" after a "long journey" back to underwent routine knee surgery after a knock in training in August 2024 but complications with the operation led to a long period of 39-year-old returned after nine months out in the final game of last season."I'm not 100% yet. We haven't had too much of pre-season but I've been training hard," Milner told the Seagulls' media team from the club's training camp in Spain."Nine months is a long time out so that takes time but I've been working hard over the summer and come back in the best possible shape I can."After all the things that happened in the last year or so, I'm feeling good to be fair."The early part of the rehab was to just get the knee moving again so I could do my knee rehab. We tried everything in the gym and hyperbaric chambers, hot coals, all different types of therapies. "Sean Duggan the physio was incredible. It's not a common injury. At that time it was a difficult ask to come back and play but through the physio department and Sean's hard work - it was a long journey and a difficult one but the challenge of coming back from it at my age was what drove me on."Get news notifications on your clubMilner is now preparing for his 24th Premier League season and is 16 appearances away from breaking Gareth Barry's all-time record. The three-time Premier League winner never thought about giving up despite his lengthy spell on the sidelines."I wouldn't say there was dark times but there was frustrating times," he added."There was times where I'd get to five or six weeks constantly then needed a break for two or three days, just a change of scenery to regain the focus and the intensity."I wouldn't say I got too down about it. There is the determination to get back and try and contribute and help the manager and club move forward. I want to have a more positive season this time round."
The Independent
17 minutes ago
- The Independent
Fun on the fairways as tens of thousands descend on Portrush for The Open
It was fun on the fairways in Portrush as tens of thousands flocked to the north coast to see the world's top golfers tee off on the first day of The Open. The crowds included actor James Nesbitt, US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly. While anticipation was high to see returning hero Rory McIlroy in action, during the wait there was an opportunity to recreate his famous television clip chipping golf balls into a washing machine. McIlroy was a primary school child in 1999 when he appeared on UTV's Kelly show as a promising youngster showing off his skills with the trick. Ms Little-Pengelly, herself a keen golfer, was among those who tried the 'chipping it like Rory' challenge. Despite the watching crowd, the deputy First Minister showed no sign of pressure as she took a moment to carefully line up the perfect shot, which resulted in the ball deftly landing in the drum. Breaking into a huge smile she punched the air amid cheers. The crowds, ten deep in places, endured heavy rain showers in the early afternoon before the sun finally broke through not long before McIlroy himself appeared at the first fairway. You could have heard a pin drop as people stretched every sinew and used all possible vantage points to get a glimpse of the Holywood man taking his first shot of the tournament. Almost 280,000 fans snapped up tickets for the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, which will be the second best attended in history. Among them on Thursday were Lilian Kennedy and Norman Kennedy from Coleraine, and her niece Tracey Bradley from Dungannon, with Karl Holmes, originally from south Wales. They said they were delighted to see some of the biggest names in golf, including McIlroy, as well as Shane Lowry, who won The Open last time it was held in Portrush in 2019. It was Mrs Kennedy's birthday, and she was enjoying the experience thanks to Ms Bradley, who gave her the ticket for The Open as a birthday gift. 'I couldn't have asked for anything better than that, a great birthday present,' she said, giving her niece a hug. Mr Holmes said they had been there all week and it had been 'fantastic'. 'It's great, the facilities are fantastic, we haven't seen much today because of the weather, but I saw Rory McIlroy right in front of me yesterday which was fantastic,' he said. 'Good old brolly,' he added, in reference to the rain. Mr Kennedy laughed and said it had been hard to see much with all the umbrellas earlier, before the sun re-emerged, but praised the good atmosphere. Gene Fleming, Bart Lewis, Brian Halloran and William Bell, friends who had been fraternity brothers at Eastern Kentucky University in the US, said they were enjoying the true European golf experience with the rain. Mr Lewis said it was his second Open, after attending the 150th at St Andrews in Scotland. 'It was awesome so we came back, and so far so good,' he said. 'Actually when we were in Scotland the weather wasn't bad at all, so I wanted to experience a British Open that had the actual weather, that's part of it. 'The weather does seem to have a bigger play in the tournament result (in the UK compared to tournaments in the US), but I do enjoy the hospitality in Europe all over, I think it's a great place, we've had a fantastic time.' Mr Fleming said they had loved the experience of playing golf in the rain on the island of Ireland themselves, before the Open tournament. 'What's so amazing is that if we had this weather in the United States, the complaining and carrying on at the golf course would be unbearable, but there is no sympathy here, the weather is the weather, we're learning about it, we played two rounds in it, enjoyed it thoroughly,' he said. 'We got great weather one day and we got the whole Irish experience the other day. 'We loved it, I'll never forget it, I'm so glad I came here. My mother's maiden name of O'Brien, so I've got some Irish in me.'
