Shane Lowry made a flawless begin to his bid for a second Open title as Rory McIlroy successfully wrote off his possibilities of doing the identical at Royal Troon.
Lowry carded 5 birdies in a bogey-free 66 that was solely surpassed at 9.33pm by England’s Daniel Brown, the world quantity quantity 272 returning a superb 65 to assert a shock lead on his Open debut.
Brown, who gained his maiden DP World Tour title in Northern Eire 11 months in the past, took benefit of calmer situations for the later starters to birdie the third, fifth, tenth, eleventh, sixteenth and 18th.
It was a distinction which instantly dropped at thoughts the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush, when Lowry began with a 67 on his option to the Claret Jug and McIlroy’s possibilities have been blown away with a 79.
“It was satisfying,” Lowry, who made birdies on the fourth, seventh, eighth, eleventh and 18th, informed Sky Sports activities.
“I obtained off to a little bit of an iffy begin and holed a few good par putts early on after which I used to be off and working.
“I attempt not to consider it [2019] an excessive amount of now. I holed a putt to enter the lead and I assumed ‘It’s the primary time I’ve led The Open in 5 years’.
“It doesn’t matter what I try this week in Portrush will all the time have a particular place in my coronary heart. I really like that place and I really like this event.”
A downbeat Rory McIlroy had earlier dismissed his possibilities of mounting a problem for a fifth main title after a pricey run of holes across the flip.
McIlroy was stage par after seven holes earlier than working up a double bogey on the signature par-three eighth, the Northern Irishman’s first try to flee a bunker on the Postage Stamp coming again to his toes.
With the again 9 taking part in downwind McIlroy was hopeful of repairing the harm, solely to drive out of bounds on the eleventh to run up one other double bogey and finally end seven over par, 12 photographs behind Lowry.
In response to statistician Justin Ray, lead knowledge analyst at KPMG Efficiency Insights, 87 per cent of Open winners since 1960 have been inside 4 photographs of the lead after the primary spherical.
Requested if he might make up the bottom he had conceded, there was a prolonged pause earlier than McIlroy stated: “I imply, all I have to give attention to is tomorrow and attempt to make the reduce. That’s all I can give attention to.”
The 35-year-old, who agonisingly missed out on an overdue fifth main title in final month’s US Open, added: “I felt like I did OK for the primary a part of the spherical after which missed the inexperienced on the Postage Stamp there and made a double.
“However nonetheless, felt like I used to be in cheap sufficient form being a pair over by way of 9, considering that I might possibly get these couple of photographs again, attempt to shoot even par, one thing like that.
“Regardless that the wind on the again 9 was serving to, it was lots off the left. I used to be truly stunned how tough I felt just like the again 9 performed. The situations are very tough in a wind that we haven’t seen up to now this week.
“I assume when that occurs it begins to current completely different choices and also you begin to consider possibly hitting a number of golf equipment that you simply haven’t hit in observe. Simply a type of days the place I simply didn’t adapt properly sufficient to the situations.”
Bryson DeChambeau, who edged out McIlroy at Pinehurst to win his second US Open, additionally discovered himself properly down the sector following a 76, though the American did at the very least gap from 55 toes for an eagle on the sixteenth.
DeChambeau’s entrance 9 of 42 included a double bogey on the 612-yard sixth, the place he might solely advance his second shot a number of yards from heavy tough earlier than hitting his subsequent onto the adjoining thirteenth fairway.
“It was a thick lie and I attempted to hit a 7-iron out, and I didn’t get it excessive sufficient,” DeChambeau stated.
“Then I attempted to fade a 5-wood and it squirted off the left facet of my clubface and simply shot left. I’m simply glad no one obtained damage.”
Thomas had set the clubhouse goal on three underneath par because of birdies on the seventeenth and 18th, the two-time main winner’s 68 representing a 14-shot enchancment on his opening spherical at Hoylake final 12 months.
“I couldn’t even inform you what I used to be considering or the way it was then,” Thomas stated when requested to match the 2 rounds.
“I’m simply nervous about how I’m now, and I’m very happy with my sport and know issues are persevering with to work in the precise route. I’ve simply obtained to maintain making an attempt to play properly.”
Sweden’s Alex Noren, who solely secured his place within the area through a tie for tenth within the Scottish Open on Sunday, was a shot off the tempo alongside American Russell Henley and Ryder Cup team-mates Justin Rose and Nicolai Hojgaard.
Rose, who needed to come by way of a 36-hole qualifier to make it to Troon, carded two birdies and 16 pars in his bogey-free 69.