Royal Portrush showed its teeth on Thursday as the 2025 Open Championship field got the full links golf experience. The weather shifted and changed throughout the first round to create challenging scoring conditions,

After 18 holes at the 2025 British Open, eyes tend to go to to the top of the leaderboard but also the projected cutline.

The Open Championship had a little bit of everything Thursday, from sunshine to rain, a breeze to strong gusts. And no surprise, it had Scottie Scheffler right in the mix.

Names with a few more majors to their credit lurked not far behind. Scottie Scheffler, despite having little experience with links golf, is just a single stroke back at -3, along with Matthew Jordan, Tyrrell Hatton and Sadom Kaewkanjana, an ordained monk who’s bringing a bit of serenity to his golf game.

Rory McIlroy shot 1 under Thursday at Royal Portrush, a better start than the first time he played the British Open at the Northern Ireland course near home.

Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player who has not finished out of the top 10 in the last four months, a stretch that includes another major among three wins.

Matt Fitzpatrick was asked on camera to rate his opening round at the 153rd British Open on Thursday. He smiled and didn’t have to think long.

Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are offering reminders that the British Open doesn't discriminate against older players.

A brief look at the first round of the British Open at Royal Portrush (all times EDT): AT THE TOP: Matt Fitzpatrick, Harris English, Jacob Skov Olesen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Li Haotong were tied at 4-under 67.