SOUTHPORT, England — Jackson Suber had never been to Europe and had not played on a true links course before Thursday, yet the 26-year-old from Tampa opened the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale with a 5-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead into Friday’s second round. Sungjae Im and Dan Brown trailed by a shot on a course that was playing especially firm and fast in dry conditions and is considered one of the most difficult on The Open rota.
The early leaderboard continues a recent pattern of surprising first-round leaders at The Open. Two years ago Dan Brown, who grew up on a pig farm and had battled through missed cuts, opened with a bogey-free 65 at Royal Troon. The year before, amateur Christo Lamprecht shared the 18-hole lead after a 5-under 66, the lowest opening-round amateur score at The Open in 12 years.
Suber, a former Ole Miss standout, said he prepared by studying YouTube videos of each hole and working with his statistician and caddie, Greyson Porter. He arrived in England earlier in the week and had played only 27 holes of links golf before his first competitive round at Royal Birkdale.
After two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, Suber birdied Nos. 10 and 11, dropped a shot at the par-4 13th, then closed the round by going 4 under over the final five holes. He sank an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-5 14th, a 6-foot birdie at the par-4 16th and a 7-foot eagle at the par-5 17th after a 323-yard drive and a 4-iron approach from 233 yards that found a favorable collection area.
Suber credited work with a mental coach, a former Ole Miss assistant and equipment changes, including a new Titleist golf ball and driver, and arrived at Royal Birkdale with three top-six finishes in his previous six PGA Tour starts. According to stats guru Justin Ray, Suber is the seventh player to open an Open at Royal Birkdale with a 65 or lower; Craig Stadler’s 64 in 1983 remains the only lower opening round there.
Bryson DeChambeau, who had missed the cut in the first three majors and drawn criticism from figures including Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee, posted a 3-under 67 to share fourth place after a bogey on the par-4 18th kept him from closing the gap. “Yeah, definitely satisfying,” DeChambeau told a staff member of The R&A.
