Fitzpatrick Leads The Charge as McIlroy Stays in the Hunt at The Open 2025
What a day it’s been at Royal Portrush. The opening round of The 153rd Open Championship has delivered everything you'd hope for—drama, weather swings, unexpected heroes, and of course, Rory McIlroy playing to the pulse of a roaring home crowd.
Let’s talk about that leaderboard first. We’ve got a fascinating five-way tie at the top, with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick sharing the lead on four under par alongside Harris English from the U.S., China’s Haotong Li, Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Each of them brought something special to a blustery and chaotic first round. Fitzpatrick, in particular, wowed the crowd with a slam-dunk chip-in birdie on the infamous 16th—Calamity Corner—turning a possible bogey into a highlight-reel moment. That chip alone felt like a statement: he’s not just here to contend; he’s here to win.
Also Read:- Dakota Joshua Returns to Toronto in Emotional, Strategic Trade
- Damian Lillard's Emotional Return to Portland After Injury and Release
But the spotlight, unsurprisingly, still found Rory McIlroy. Returning to Portrush for the first time since his emotional missed cut in 2019, the Northern Irishman carried with him both history and expectation. And it showed. He opened with a shaky bogey, thanks to a three-putt on the first hole, but then the fire returned. Birdies on the 3rd, 6th, and 10th had fans believing the redemption arc was fully in motion. Suddenly, he was three under and breathing down the leaders’ necks.
Then came the mid-round stumble—poor driving saw him hit just two fairways all day, and that inconsistency off the tee caught up with him. Three bogeys in four holes—including one on the par-five 12th, the easiest hole on the course—dropped him back to level ground. But as always with McIlroy, the heart never disappears. A birdie on 17 salvaged the round, and he signed for a 70—one under par, and just three shots back. “I had it going at three under and let a few slip,” he admitted, but added, “Only three back with 54 holes to go. I’m really happy with where I am.”
Elsewhere, Scottie Scheffler reminded everyone why he’s world number one, posting a three-under 68 despite hitting just three fairways. “When it’s raining sideways, it’s not that easy to get the ball in the fairway,” he said with a shrug, as if to say: what did you expect?
The stories behind the leaders are as compelling as the scores themselves. Harris English, who played without his regular caddie due to travel restrictions from an old conviction, found his rhythm despite the chaos. Bezuidenhout, whose childhood accident with rat poison led to a controversial doping ban during his amateur days, showed calm resilience in brutal conditions. And Kaewkanjana—yes, a Thai monk-turned-pro—is just one back. You can’t script it better.
As we look ahead to round two, the leaderboard is tight, the wind is unpredictable, and the pressure is rising. With 31 players under par and dozens more within striking distance, this Open has all the makings of a classic. And with Rory right in the mix, trying to lift the Claret Jug on home turf? That’s the story every fan wants to see unfold.
Read More:
0 Comments