Open Round 2 Preview: Daniel Brown’s Lead and Tough Conditions for Royal Troon

PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele was one of seven golfers who trailed by four strokes at 2 under.

Brown played links golf as a kid, but was never really a fan – until now.

“I used to hate it,” Brown said. “Obviously, as an amateur you play it all the time, and you get a little tired of hitting shots and sometimes you get into pot bunkers, and that’s just the way it is. But I’ve found that I like it more because I don’t play links golf that much. I enjoy the challenge more, the wind and the firm conditions.”

Here’s what you can watch in the second round of The Open on Friday:

What can Brown do?

The 29-year-old is one of the most unlikely first-round leaders in major championship history. Not only is Brown making his first major start, he is also ranked 272nd in the Official World Golf Ranking.

He finished 61st at the Genesis Scottish Open last week, the first time he has played four rounds in a tournament since finishing tied for 23rd at the Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa on March 10.

Brown, who hails from Northallerton, England, earned his one career win on the DP World Tour at the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational, beating Alex Fitzpatrick (Matt’s younger brother) by five strokes.

Brown qualified for The Open by hitting a 20-foot putt on the final hole of a 36-hole final qualifying tournament at West Lancashire Golf Club in Liverpool, England, on July 2. Earlier this year, he was sidelined for seven weeks with a knee injury.

Whatever ailed him, Brown cracked the code on Thursday. He had a bogey-free round, with birdie putts of 34 ½ feet at No. 10, 42 feet at No. 11, 13 feet at No. 16 and 8 feet at No. 18.

“I’ve (slept on a lead) in the past, but probably about two or three years ago,” Brown said. “I know there’s 54 holes left. There’s a long way to go. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble sleeping tonight after that late finish.”

Brown ranked first in total strokes gained (9.45) and off the tee (3.50) and ranked second in putting (4.49).

Brown’s brother, Ben, is his caddy this week. Dan won the English Amateur Championship in 2016; Ben followed in his footsteps seven years later.

“He’s been nursing a little injury so he hasn’t played much,” Dan said. “I like having him on the bag. He’s good at reading greens and he’s obviously a good golfer himself so he can give good advice. It’s nice to share my first major with him on the bag.”

Brown became the first male golfer to record a bogey-free round of 65 or better in his first major championship round.

Will Royal Throne become easier?

The shifting winds confused many golfers, who expected to have gusts of wind behind them on the first nine holes and in their faces on the way back to the clubhouse. Instead, the opposite was the case and many players struggled to adjust their game plans.

The toughest hole on the course on Thursday was the par-4 12th, which had an average score of 4.40. There were nine birdies, 92 pars, 44 bogeys, seven double-bogeys and four others. Ben Griffin shot an 8 on the 450-yard, dogleg right hole.

The rain and wind made it difficult for many.

“It’s tough. It’s really tough,” said defending Open Championship winner Brian Harman, who shot a 2-over 73 in the first round. “It’s a brutal, tough golf course.”

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Golfers at The Open Championship are ready for the challenge that hole 8 at Royal Troon brings.

There were only two holes on the course with cumulative scores under par: the par-5 16th (4.87) and par-4 18th (3.97). There was only one birdie on the par-4 ninth, by Alex Noren.

“Well, it was really tough, if you ask me,” said Cameron Smith, the winner of the 2022 Open Championship at St Andrews, who posted a 9-over 80. “If you ask Shane, it’s probably a different story.

“No, it’s tough, mate. Lots of crosswinds. Tough to keep your ball on the fairway, and when you’re in the rough, you’re kind of gambling on landing a little short with the bounces you get. It was brutal. It was a really good test of golf, and you had to be on your A+ game to shoot under par, and I saw it. (Lowry) played well.”

Work to do

US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau and number two Rory McIlroy battled it out until the end of the US Open in June at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

It didn’t take long for them to become non-factors at The Open. McIlroy shot a 7-over 78, his third-worst score through par in a major. He was 8-over in the first 18 holes at Muirfield Golf Club in Scotland in 2013 and at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland in 2019.

After McIlroy’s late slump at Pinehurst No. 2 – he missed two short putts on the last three holes to help DeChambeau win his second U.S. Open title – his major championship drought will last more than 10 years unless a miracle occurs.

“I mean, I just have to focus on tomorrow and try to make the cut,” McIlroy said. “That’s all I can focus on.”

DeChambeau was only two shots better at 5-over 76. DeChambeau said he wasn’t prepared for the changing wind. He tried to pull the ball but in hindsight should have sliced ​​it.

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Rory McIlroy reflects on ‘difficult’ round 1

Rory McIlroy attributes his 7-over-par score in the first round of The Open to the wind and course conditions.

“I’m going to figure it out,” DeChambeau said. “It’s equipment related. I don’t have a 190 (mph) ball speed, so especially when I hit a driver or a 3-wood, those clubs are built for that speed, and my 3-wood is built for about 180 (mph). So (in) colder, firmer conditions, the golf ball doesn’t compress as much.”

As the wind howled off the Firth of Clyde, they weren’t the only recognisable golfers struggling at Royal Troon on Thursday.

Among the golfers who have work to do on Friday to stay through the weekend: Viktor Hovland (4 over), Sam Burns (5 over), Tom Kim (5 over), Max Homa (5 over), Will Zalatoris (5 over), Tommy Fleetwood (5 over), Sahith Theegala (6 over), Wyndham Clark (7 over), Rickie Fowler (8 over) and Tiger Woods (8 over).

Is there more rain coming?

The weather forecast for Troon looks better — at least for a day. There is a chance of light drizzle on Friday morning, then clearing up in the afternoon. Winds are expected to be south or southwesterly again at 9 to 12 mph, with gusts of 22 to 27 mph by late morning.

If the wind direction doesn’t change, golfers will face the same test as Thursday: they must play the first nine holes into the wind and the last nine holes with the wind at their backs.

“You know it’s going to be windy,” Brooks Koepka said. “I don’t know what the weather forecast is for the rest of the week. I haven’t even looked at it yet. I think that’s a weird wind direction if I’m right, right? I don’t know if it’s going to change back, but I know going (into the wind) on those last nine holes would be pretty tough.”

Although the Met Office says it has “moderate to low confidence” in Saturday’s forecast, things aren’t looking good. A “prolonged period of rain is possible” and “possible heavy showers at times.”

The good news for the field: the wind is expected to die down and temperatures are expected to be around 18 degrees Celsius.

The forecast for Sunday’s final round looks better with a chance of a “drier and brighter day” with occasional light showers. Wind gusts of up to 20mph from the southwest could return.