After 18 holes of the final major championship of the year, we’ve got a surprise at the top of the leaderboard in Scotland.
Daniel Brown, who entered the week ranked No. 273 in the Official World Golf Rankings, took the overnight lead after his bogey-free 65 on Thursday at Royal Troon. Brown, who overtook Shane Lowry with a late birdie to grab a one-shot lead, is playing in his first ever major championship this week. He’s the highest-ranked golfer to lead a major after the opening round since 2016, too.
Lowry, who also carded a bogey-free 66, is in a great position to make a run by the midway point of the tournament. He picked up his first major championship win at Royal Portrush in 2019. Justin Thomas will start Friday alone in third at 3-under, and a group of seven golfers are tied at 2-under.
After their wild battle in North Carolina, neither Bryson DeChambeau nor Rory McIlroy started their week in Scotland well. DeChambeau opened with a 5-over 76, and McIlroy finished with a 7-over 78. They’re both going to have to make a run on Friday in order to make the cut, something McIlroy hasn’t missed at the British Open since 2019.
Tiger Woods, like he has so many times in recent years, struggled again too. Woods posted an 8-over 79 on Thursday, which is likely to lead to his seventh missed cut or withdrawal in his last 10 major championship starts.
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Justin Rose posts two birdies early in his second round
Its been 11 years since the Englishman won his lone major championship, and Justin Rose is looking to add a Claret Jug to his trophy collection — one that also includes a FedEx Cup and Olympic gold medal — and he’s certainly putting himself in position through his first round and a half at Royal Troon. Rose has still yet to make a bogey on the week, thru 8 on Friday, and collected this birdie on the 8th hole to get to 4-under for the championship and -2 for the day.
Scheffler closes with bogey, heads to the weekend 5 shots back
The No. 1 player in the world is in the mix heading into the weekend at Royal Troon. Scottie Scheffler made bogey on 18 to head to Saturday’s third round at 2-under, and five shots off the pace, set by Shane Lowry earlier in the day.
Shane Lowry finishes with brilliant birdie to get to -7
A birdie-par-birdie finish has 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry eyeing the Claret Jug for a second time with a 2-under, 69 to wrap up Round 2. He overcame the double bogey at 11 to get to a solo lead by the end of his day. He’s earned himself a late tee time on Saturday — a day that could see more wind and rain at Royal Troon.
Yahoo Sports’ Jay Busbee with his take on Tiger’s 2024 British Open
With Tiger Woods’ 2024 major championship season over, whats next for the most beloved golfer of the past three decades? Retirement has been a subject of discussion surrounding the 15-time major champion, and with another disappointing performance at one of the sport’s premier events, Jay Busbee weighs in on the Big Cat’s future, and what could be next for the golf icon.
Tiger wraps up his Open Championship at +14
15 majors and 3 British Opens are seared into the collective consciousness of the golf world, and while the days of his competing at the top of the leaderboard seem to be long gone, the opportunity to have arguably the greatest player of all-time still a part of the major events is one that the golf world can still relish. Tiger Woods will miss the cut for a seventh time in his last 10 events — cut line is projected to be at +5 — after 79-77 to finish at +14 for the championship.
Scheffler within three of the lead after 14
He’s the hottest player in the world, having won 6 of his last 10 starts, and now he’s a 2-under thru 14 after making one of just a handful of birdies of the day at No. 14. That red number came at the end of a run of eight straight pars that have kept him in contention in the second round at Royal Troon.
Lowry steadies the ship
After a tough double bogey on 11, Lowry stays at the top of the leaderboard after rolling off three straight pars to stay at 5-under, where he’s tied with Daniel Brown.
Tiger flashes vintage shot making skills
While he’s having one of the roughest major championship performance of his career, the highlights we’ve been used to seeing for nearly three decades still pop up from time to time with Tiger Woods, including this masterful shot into the 15th green.
Shane Lowry falls back to the field
The magic ran out for Shane Lowry at Royal Troon’s 11th on Friday. Holding a two-stroke lead, Lowry stepped up to the tee at the 11th … and put his shot deep into the thick Scottish rough. He ended up having to take an unplayable lie, and then pitched up short of the green. One double-bogey putt later, and Lowry had fallen back into a tie with Daniel Brown at -5. He’s still a co-leader at the Open, but with winds picking up and the toughest stretch of the course ahead, Lowry has work to do to bring it home.
Jordan Spieth, doing Jordan Spieth things at Royal Troon.
John Daly withdraws from the Open Championship
And another past Open Champion calls it a week, early — John Daly, the 1995 Open Champion, has withdrawn from this year’s tournament after one round, citing a knee injury. Daly and Ernie Els both shot +11 in the tournament’s opening round.
At least we’ll always have the Daly photos.
Leaderboard update: Lowry leads again
A birdie on the 8th has given Shane Lowry the lead once again at the Open Championship. Everything is rolling Lowry’s way right now, and with tricky weather on the way, this could be a highly relaxing Friday afternoon on the couch for Lowry.
1. Shane Lowry, -7 (through 8) 2. Daniel Brown, -6 (3) 3. Justin Thomas, -3 (7:53 a.m. ET tee time) T4. Xander Schauffele + seven others, -2
Tiger Woods birdie!
Look, it’s a little sad when we get excited about Tiger Woods just carding a birdie, but that’s where we are now. Woods rolled in a long one at the par-5 6th to get all the way down to … +10. Ah, well.
Rough day for Scottie Scheffler’s caddie
Being sick at work is a tough go, and it’s especially tough when your work involves hauling a heavy bag up and down the hills of Scotland. Ted Scott, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie, is apparently battling something bad; he’s been reported as laying down while Scheffler isn’t actively swinging. And with Scheffler only through four holes as of 6:15 a.m. ET, there’s a long way for Scott to go.
Ernie Els withdraws from Open with injury
Royal Troon is taking out the competitors at the 152nd Open, one at a time. Latest to withdraw: Ernie Els, the 2002 and 2012 Open champion. Els withdrew prior to the second round, citing a back injury.
On Thursday, the Big Easy shot +11, finishing second-to-last on the day. Els has three wins on the season as a member of the PGA Tour Champions, and at the moment is still listed in the field for next week’s Senior British Open.
Els joins Romain Langasque, who withdrew Thursday after an awkward, 84-yard tee shot at the famed Postage Stamp.
Shane Lowry jumps into the lead right away
After just a single hole, Shane Lowry is back in a share of the lead. He just birdied the first to match Daniel Brown at 6-under.
Tiger drops 2 shots early
Well, Tiger Woods just made a double bogey at the second after he missed the fairway and then missed the green well right on his approach. He’s down to 10-over now, several shots outside the early projected cutline. Not the best start.
Friday’s weather forecast
It doesn’t look like we’ll get any rain today at Royal Troon.
Tiger Woods tees off in second round
Tiger Woods and his group have now teed off in the second round at Royal Troon. Woods posted an 8-over 79 on Thursday, and will need a huge round today in order to make the cut.
While this is a familiar trend for the golf legend, and there have been growing calls for him to hang it up, Woods pushed back on those earlier this week. Yahoo Sports’ Jay Busbee wrote that, while Woods “in all likelihood will never win another tournament on the PGA Tour,” he should still play “as long as he dam well pleases.”