2010 Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen opened the 2021 edition at Royal St George’s with a 64, his career-low score in a Major and the lowest score by any player in a Major during the 2020-21 season.
Oosthuizen, who co-led after the first round of the 2021 U.S. Open, became the first player to hold at least a share of the 18-hole lead in consecutive Majors since Brooks Koepka in the 2019 Masters Tournament and PGA Championship.
Oosthuizen became the 10th player to record a first-round score of 64 or better at The Open Championship and first since Phil Mickelson in 2016.
A shot back, Jordan Spieth recorded his third career first-round score of 65 or better in a Major championship. Spieth won both of the previous instances (2015 Masters Tournament, 2017 Open Championship).
Byeong Hun An birdied the 17th and 18th holes for a 67 to lie in T9 as the leading Asian after the first round. He is making his eighth appearance at The Open with a best finish of T26 in 2014.
Also Read: Fanboy moments to taking centrestage at Open, Shiv Kapur looks back
The first round was completed 1 year, 360 days since the final round in 2019 (tournament cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Oosthuizen’s previous-low score in a Major was 65, twice (R1/2010 Open Championship/Won, R2/2016 U.S. Open/T23).
He held a share of the 18-hole lead at the U.S. Open in June before finishing solo-second to Jon Rahm. This is his third career 18-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour and second of the season; 0-for-2 to date converting to victory (T30/2018 WGC-Workday Championship in Mexico, T2/2021 U.S. Open).
Oosthuizen finished runner-up at each of the last two Majors (T2/PGA Championship, 2nd/U.S. Open) and has six runner-up finishes in 50 Majors in his career (T9 all-time).
He has six top-10s in 16 starts during the 2020-21 season, including three runner-up results (P2/Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Charl Schwartzel, T2/PGA Championship, 2nd/U.S. Open).
Three-time Major champion and 2017 Open Championship winner Spieth carded his third career first-round score of 65 or better in a Major championship. He went on to win each of the previous two instances (64/2015 Masters Tournament, 65/2017 Open Championship).
Also Read: ‘Royal Toon during the Open was like being in golfing heaven’
His last score of 65 or better in a Major: 65 was the 2018 Open Championship (R3).
He won the 2017 Open Championship, his third of three career Major championship titles (2015 Masters Tournament, 2015 U.S. Open, 2017 The Open).
Spieth earned his 12th career PGA Tour title at the 2021 Valero Texas Open. He has eight total top-10s on the season and entered the week No. 5 in the FedExCup standings.
Text courtesy: PGA Tour
