Five-times major victor Phil Mickelson of the United States, a regular visitor to the Scottish Open, struggled to a 76. A score around par would have been a good score.
Advertisement
“What do you do, you’re not thinking about getting back down the road that early”, he said.
The five times Major champion won this event at Castle Stuart in 2013 before adding the Open title a week later, and before teeing off he described it as the flawless gentle warm-up for Troon next week.
The 34-year-old at least finished with a birdie on the ninth to finish eight over and eight shots better than Korea’s Jin Jeong, who has failed to make a single cut in 16 events this season and is a combined 176 over par. “It’s a very fair test”.
Former US PGA champion YE Yang, Sweden’s Alex Noren and the English quartet of Richard Bland, Tyrrell Hatton, Andy Sullivan and Eddie Pepperell complete the group on two under, with Branden Grace opening with a one-under 71.
Early starterBradley Dredge briefly held the outright advantage by playing birdieing two of his opening six holes and also posting an eagle-three at the 12th, only to drop four strokes in a three-hole stretch after the turn to also end the day two back. “I haven’t played in many tougher rounds than that”, said Knox after a 72 that started with a brace of birdies at the first and second and ended with a three-putt bogey on the last.
The good news for J.B. Holmes is that he finally got his golf clubs back.
Russell Knox made a solid start in what amounts to a home tournament for the Scot who now lives in Florida.
Leaders Scott Hend and Felipe Auguilar both shot three under par 69s in the morning wave. I know I’ve played in The Scottish Open for 15 years or so, and it’s been a real treasure for me.
Craig Lee reckoned he only hit one bad shot in starting his opening round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open with a five and a seven, so he was maybe due the justice that followed. That shows how strong the wind is because it is nearly 100 yards difference.
The wind increased in ferocity and Fitzpatrick carded four bogeys in his last nine holes to finish one over par. “I didn’t agree with that”.
Advertisement
“They could have easily moved us up a tee”.
