Bryson DeChambeau ends major struggle with strong first round at The Open

Bryson DeChambeau of the USA after putting on the final hole at Royal Birkdale. Pic: Jacob King/PA Wire

Bryson DeChambeau finally found his major form to challenge the leaders on the first day of The Open at Royal Birkdale.

The American, a two-time US Open champion, is attempting to avoid an unwanted personal grand slam of missing the cut in all four of golf’s premier events in a calendar year.

And while he is by no means out of the woods, five birdies and two bogeys in a three under par round of 67 saw him sit just one shot behind Yorkshireman Dan Brown – first-round leader for the second time in three years – and South Korea’s Sungjae Im.

DeChambeau refused to speak to the media, for the fifth consecutive major round, despite his best effort since the final day of last year’s Open. Only a bogey at the last denied him a share of the lead.

Meanwhile, Brown hopes his chances do not go up in smoke after he dealt with the stress of contending again by getting through almost half a packet of cigarettes.

The 31-year-old, who carded a 65 on his major debut at Troon, found his form after five successive missed cuts having taken advantage of ideal early scoring conditions.

And while he set the Southport links alight with his golf he is being extra-careful with his habit on the tinder-dry course.

Asked whether there had been any request not to light up he said: “I haven’t been told otherwise, but I’ve been making sure that they’re out.

“I’m probably on like seven or eight a round; stress levels go up, then probably the more I end up having.

Daniel Brown of England. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA

“My dad actually used to smoke and I always told him when I was a kid to stop smoking and then he did stop and then I ended up starting.” 

Brown, who almost quit in 2019 after struggling on the third-tier PGA EuroPro Tour, shot to fame in 2024 when he had to endure the jokes and puns associated with the name of the more famous author of The DaVinci Code but it was not a game he was interested in playing.

But having struggled on his promotion to the PGA Tour this year, missing nine of 15 cuts, he found some home comforts with four birdies in five holes around the turn to spark his round into life.

After a scrappy finish – with two bogeys and three further birdies – the son of a Northallerton pig farmer added: “I feel like I can compete in a major and in an Open Championship. I feel like I’m a better player now to what I was back then two years ago.” 

Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre shot a 67 to sit joint third alongside DeChambeau, 2018 champion Francesco Molinari, Belgium’s Thomas Detry and Americans Ryan Gerard and Alex Smalley, who was leading on five under before driving out of bounds at the last.

Defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler was two shots back after a four-under front nine was followed by eight pars and a bogey at the par-five 17th.

“Anytime you can shoot under par to start a major championship, it’s a good spot to be in,” he said.

“I got off to a hot start in the round and wasn’t able to make as many birdies as I would have hoped to down the stretch.

“If I continue to strike the ball the way I did and just keep giving myself looks, that’s part of it. Golf is played over 72 holes, and I definitely liked what I saw today.”