Historic conditions make for unpredictable leaderboard
In a day marked by torrential rainfall and swirling winds, Billy Horschel emerged with a one-stroke advantage at The 150th Open Championship. Despite the challenging conditions, the American carded a two-under-par 68 to lead after the first round at St Andrews.
Weather woes
The Old Course was battered by severe weather throughout Thursday, forcing play to be suspended for several hours. The relentless rain soaked the greens and softened the fairways, making it difficult for players to find their footing and control their shots.
Horschel, however, seemed unfazed by the elements. The 2014 FedEx Cup champion birdied the first hole and made three more coming in to make the turn in 33. He stumbled with a bogey on the 10th, but rallied with another birdie on the 14th to finish with a round of 68.
Leaderboard logjam
Horschel’s lead is a slender one, with a group of players lurking just one stroke behind. Cameron Young, Kurt Kitayama, and Russell Henley all carded rounds of 69 to sit in a tie for second.
Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm, two of the pre-tournament favorites, are also within striking distance after opening with rounds of 70.
Outlook heading into Round 2
With more rain forecast for Friday, the leaderboard is likely to remain volatile. The players who can adapt best to the challenging conditions will be in contention for the Claret Jug come Sunday.
Horschel will tee off in the afternoon group on Friday alongside playing partners Kitayama and Henley. He will be looking to build on his slender advantage and set himself up for a strong weekend at the historic St Andrews.
Kind regards
A. Fleming
