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The Open 2025: Aussie duo well positioned as Scheffler and McIlroy lurk behind leaders
Ciaran Mooney • July 18th, 2025 1:52 pm
Day 1 of The Open was a grind. As forecasted, sunny conditions didn’t last. The field battled all the elements – sun, wind & rain. Most of the field were up to the challenge with 44 players within four strokes of the leaders.
Five players share the lead at -4 after Round 1 including former US Open champion, Matt Fitzpatrick. Tournament favourites, Scottie Scheffler (-3), Rory McIlroy (-1) and Jon Rahm (-1) are lurking though.
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Pace of play frustrations
The pace of play was the main talking point of the Opening Round with Aussie Marc Leishman making the point to call out the issue of slow play, due to the large field.
“Felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours, we’ve been on the course for three hours through eight holes. That was tough to deal with.”
Leishman has a point with US Open champion, J.J Spaun being put on the clock late in his round and many groupings taking over 5 and a half hours to complete their rounds. The grouping of McIlroy, Thomas & Fleetwood were out on the course for just short of 6 hours, 5 hours and 54 minutes to be exact.
Scott and Smith in the hunt
Australians Adam Scott and Cam Smith are well positioned after their opening rounds. Both men sit five shots off the lead. Even par through the opening 9 holes, Scott started his back 9 with back-to-back bogeys followed by back-to-back birdies before dropping a shot on 18 to +1. Smith struggled early and was 3 over par through 9. Keeping a cool head, the Queenslander finished +1 for the day with a bogey free two under after the turn – undoing the damage done earlier in his round.
Bryson goes birdie-less
Bryson DeChambeau had a day to forget. The LIV Star sits T144 after posting a birdie-less opening round of seven over. DeChambeau’s miserable record at The Open Championship looks destined to worsen as A fourth missed cut in eight starts is likely and the American’s T8 finish in 2022 is the only Top finish to his name. Fellow LIV stars and former major champions, Patrick Reed and Brooks Koepka, also struggled and have work to do to make it to the weekend.
Watch DeChambeau's fresh air on the 4th hole
