Latest news with #Olesen
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
British Open 2025: Co-leader begins second round by pumping two balls OB
Jacob Skov Olesen's stay atop this Open Championship leaderboard didn't last long. The 26-year-old from Denmark went out Thursday at Royal Portrush and fired one of five 4-under 67s. But during his scrum with reporters later that afternoon, Olesen mentioned that he typically struggles in right-to-left wind. 'I've been working on it,' Olesen said. And he'll keep working on it. Olesen began Friday's second round in his least favorite wind, and he promptly hit two tee balls out of bounds at Portrush's par-4 first hole. The first one was a low hook off the lefty's driver face. The second went the opposite direction. When it was all said and done, Olesen walked off the green with a quadruple-bogey 8, dropping from 4 under back to level par.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Packed Open leaderboard as McIlroy scrambles to stay in touch
Golf - The 153rd Open Championship - Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland, Britain - July 17, 2025 Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen reacts on the 18th green during the first round REUTERS/Paul Childs PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen, China's Li Haotong, England's Matthew Fitzpatrick, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout and American Harris English shot four-under-par 67s to share the British Open first-round lead at Royal Portrush on Thursday. World number one Scottie Scheffler was one stroke adrift, and Rory McIlroy scrambled to a 70 after a rollercoaster round in which he bogeyed the first hole and fought back to three under before fading on the back nine. After early sunshine on the Dunluce Links, heavy rain and wind made conditions difficult for the players. Qualifier Olesen, the world number 354, 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. 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." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Asia Air India probe into Boeing 787 fuel control switches finds no issues Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail 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." SCHEFFLER IN CONTENTION American Scheffler birdied the 16th and 17th holes thanks to superb iron shots to stay in contention for 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. Northern Ireland's McIlroy, seeking his second Claret Jug, bogeyed the first hole after an errant drive but that was three shots better than he managed in the 2019 Open at Portrush. It was not what his legion of fans had hoped for, however, after the world number two became the sixth player to complete the Grand Slam by winning this year's Masters. He regained his composure to birdie the second, fifth, seventh and 10th to get to three under before posting three bogeys in his next four holes. A 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th green took McIlroy back under par and he parred the last to remain in contention to win his sixth major title. "It was good," McIlroy said. "I had it going three-under through 10 and let a few slip there around the middle of the round. I steadied the ship well, played the last four at one under, and it was nice to shoot under par." England's Tyrrell Hatton and Matthew Jordan, and Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana joined Scheffler on three under. Former world number one Lee Westwood, Dane Nicolai Hojgaard, Americans Rickie Fowler and Brian Harman, and England's Justin Rose were among a group of players on two under. 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. REUTERS
USA Today
6 days ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Lynch: Like in once-embattled Northern Ireland, acceptance will be pivotal at 2025 Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — When the Open returned to Royal Portrush in 2019, a great deal of ink and oxygen was spent explaining why golf's oldest major championship hadn't visited Northern Ireland in 68 years, the obvious answer being that major sports events usually avoid places where the breeze carries a fresh whiff of gun smoke*. (*Rule doesn't apply in regions where the Second Amendment can be used for air cover). That it took only six years for Royal Portrush to stage another Open is explained by all the questions that were answered in '19. The 148th Open settled as fact that a faded seaside town in Northern Ireland is as capable and deserving of hosting the championship as the faded seaside towns of England and Scotland, which means that the focus at the 153rd Open is where it ought to be: on today's golf, not on yesterday's conflict. The opening round at Royal Portrush unfolded like an 'Ulster fry' — an incongruous mixture of ingredients, some delicious, others revolting, that somehow merges into a nourishing meal, albeit one that lasts longer in the digestive tract than in the memory. Start with the Northern Irish weather, so fickle that a cynic might wonder why anyone would squabble over the right to live in it. The forecast for a calm morning with afternoon showers became a reality of morning downpours and afternoon breezes. Add an early leader so little-known as to be confidential, in this instance Jacob Skov Olesen, a rookie professional ranked 354 in the world who isn't even the best-known Olesen in the field. Then a splash of 'only at the Open' quirk, like the battle for low Højgaard. Sprinkle in veterans proving that age and guile work in links golf, especially if they're well rested with 54-hole schedules (Justin Leonard, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson). And top it off with contenders who tantalizingly placed (Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) or unexpectedly struggled (Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark, whose 76 must have had every carpenter in town waiting expectantly by the phone for a summons to the clubhouse). As with the 152 that preceded it, this Open is as much about acceptance as aptitude. 'You know it's going to be hard. It's going to be tricky. It's going to be difficult,' said Darren Clarke, the 2011 champion golfer of the year. 'You're going to get a few funny bounces, but you've just got to go with it.' There are a few other things you know you're going to get at an Open. Like savvy fans who politely applaud shots that finish 30 feet from the hole because they know it was quality. Or players being forced to summon artistry in an era dominated by science, because they know that the most decisive part of a ball's journey begins when it hits the turf. Stock shots that stop and spin may be the norm most weeks in modern professional golf, but not at an Open. Which is why there's no more entertaining spectacle in the game than watching the mastery of those who have figured out the links puzzle and the misery of those who haven't, guys determined to paint by numbers when the challenge calls for tie-dye. Clarke has been in an expansive, entertaining mood this week. He keeps a home in Portrush, but has long since decamped to the Bahamas, where red faces can be attributed to sunshine rather than the Bushmills distillery. At a nearby hostelry, there's a snug corner where a plaque displays his name and a seat shows the wear of his arse. 'Coming in here shooting 4-over, maybe I should have spent more time in the Harbour Bar than out here,' he said with a laugh. Clarke has been around long enough — this is his 33rd start in the championship — to know that days like this will have many of his peers quietly wishing they had done the same. There are worse places to try to figure things out.
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Olesen, Li, Fitzpatrick lead Open, McIlroy rallies after nervy start
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. Rory's making a charge. He's one off the lead. Watch his Featured Group on R&A TV: — The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025 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 US Open champion, eagled the second hole and notched up three birdies. An eagle for Christiaan Bezuidenhout on 12. It moves the South African into the leading group on four-under. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025 '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.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Olesen, Li, Fitzpatrick lead Open, McIlroy rallies after nervy start
Golf - The 153rd Open Championship - Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland, Britain - July 17, 2025 Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen reacts on the 18th green during the first round REUTERS/Paul Childs PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - 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. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Asia Air India probe into Boeing 787 fuel control switches finds no issues Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail "I always feel like if I play my game that I can do well, especially around links courses." BRUTAL COURSE 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. REUTERS
