2025 Open Championship takeaways: Rory McIlroy on right track in return, Scottie Scheffler flashes with putter
It was a return six years in the making, and it was a return that perfectly encapsulated Rory McIlroy. Making the trek back to Royal Portrush for The Open Championship — now as a career grand slam winner — the Northern Irishman experienced a topsy-turvy day as the hard stuff came easy and the easy stuff came hard.
In the end, it all added up to a 1-under 70 for the man with all eyes on him. The effort was good enough for a nine-stroke improvement compared to his opening refrain from that championship in 2019, and it was good enough to keep him firmly in this championship only three strokes behind a group of five players at the top.
“[The support is] absolutely incredible,” McIlroy said. “Look, I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in. But at the same time, you don’t want to let them down. So there’s that little bit of added pressure.
“I felt like I dealt with it really well today. Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago. I was just happy to get off to a good start and get myself into the tournament. I was sort of surprised — there’s a few guys at 4 under, but I’m surprised 4 under is leading. I thought someone might have gone out there and shot 6 or 7 today. Only three back with 54 holes to go, I’m really happy with where I am.”
While much has changed in the six years since McIlroy infamously tugged his opening tee shot left of the internal out of bounds stakes on Royal Portrush’s first hole, a lot has stayed the same. And while the 36-year-old considers himself better equipped — physically and mentally — to handle the weight of a golfing nation, not even a five-time major champion is immune to the nerves that come with expectations.
However, instead of blocking them out, ignoring them and pretending they are not there, McIlroy has made a concerted effort to embrace it all — the fans, the good shots, the bad shots and everything in between.
It was an instant improvement off the first tee and just enough to remain in play, but a bogey from the wayward blade of McIlroy marched his name onto the wrong side of par. A quick left miss with the driver on the par-5 2nd proved to be the story of his afternoon with the big stick in hand as McIlroy connected on two total fairways all round tying him for the least in the field.
No matter the inaccuracy, McIlroy sauntered onward. He called upon other aspects of his game to pick up the pieces. A pair of birdies on the two par 5s on the front nine sandwiched a long distance effort on the short par-4 5th. Another circle arrived on the par-4 10th thanks to a tight wedge shot and saw McIlroy’s name coast up the leaderboard to 3 under.
Just one behind the early pace that was set and never beaten, McIlroy’s name was murmured throughout the crowd. Six years after his infamous struggle, he was the one throwing the punches at Royal Portrush, not the other way around. But the par 71 had its say in the matter as the meat of the golf course laid in front primed to slow down the man running downhill.
A bogey on the difficult par-4 11th was forgivable but another on the next — the par-5 12th — was one that could have been avoided. Two holes later, another square was penciled onto the scorecard moving the Northern Ireland flag down the leaderboard to where it started the day.
It looked like another was certain on the next hole before McIlroy’s blade cooperated for the first time in an hour. A sigh of relief, a gentle clenched fist and a little momentum saved.
“That was important,” McIlroy said. “It was a huge putt to keep whatever momentum I had.”
It’s a 10 footer which may be lost in the grand scheme of the tournament, but it is one which eased the racing hearts (and minds) of many inside and outside the ropes. It settled McIlroy back into his groove and kicked him forward to playing his final three holes in 1-under fashion to finish in the red.
The crowd carried their lad to the finish, lauded him with a hero’s ovation as he walked off the last and carried hopes of another McIlroy moment materializing over the next 54 holes to bed. Only 18 holes into this championship and it’s already a different story from the last time he walked these parts in front of them. No more reminiscing on the past for McIlroy and his posse, only forward thinking to the future and what might lay ahead.
Friday will not be a battle to make the cut like it was six years ago; rather, the goal will be setting up a weekend for all to remember.
“I just think it’s back to knowing what to expect,” McIlroy recalled. “I didn’t feel like I was walking into the unknown this time around, where last time I hadn’t experienced that before. I hadn’t played an Open at home. I didn’t know how I was going to feel. I didn’t know the reaction I was going to get, where this time I had a better idea of what was going to be coming my way.”
A meaningful first tee shot
It was a 4 a.m. wake-up call for Padraig Harrington as the R&A selected the two-time Open champion as the man to strike the first tee shot in the 153rd edition of the championship. The Irishman came in with high hopes as he played well last week at the Scottish Open after winning the U.S. Senior Open and implored there was nothing ceremonial about his opening pass.
“I came off the range about 20 minutes before my tee time, and I could see the grandstand, and it was empty,” Harrington said. “I was like, ‘I thought this was going to be full.’ Obviously, we have to walk up and over, and as I came up and over, I could see people queueing for a long line to get into it. They hadn’t let anybody in. By the time we got there, the grandstand was full, the first fairway was full, the first green was full.”
Despite his competitiveness and grittiness, Harrington couldn’t help but admit that he was overwhelmed with emotion when he arrived at the tee box. Receiving a warm welcome, the 53-year-old split the fairway and went onto card an opening birdie to get the championship on its way.
“Usually [I get emotional] when I’m watching a movie on an airplane. Does everybody not well up on airplanes? I think airplanes do that to me. Could be a comedy or something like that. It doesn’t have to be that serious,” Harrington said. “I wouldn’t say I get too emotional, not like that, no. It was definitely — it felt like they were there for me, giving me a clap, yeah. I expected the nerves; I didn’t expect that. So I did have to adjust myself for that.
“It was very special, I’ve got to say. It’s a great honor to do it. I really hate the idea of being ceremonial, but I was prepared to take that to do it because it was here. I’m glad I did.”
Turning back the clock
Seven players age 44 or older are in red figures and inside the top 20, including past champions like Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard and Zach Johnson. Another notable name who fits that bill is Lee Westwood, who went through Open Qualifying to punch his ticket into the championship.
Only at an Open and a Masters — where institutional knowledge goes along way — can something like this occur. Real strategy, real plans of attack and real shotmaking are required at The Open, and these old timers seem to put that on full display every single year. It’s proper golf played by proper golfers.
“Can’t beat seeing your name up there on a Thursday. We’ll talk again if it’s up there on Sunday,” Westwood said with a laugh. “It’s nice to see it on the big yellow scoreboards, and it’s nice to walk down the 18th here. I’ve always said that for a British player, it’s the greatest walk in golf, especially if you’re in with a chance on Sunday.”
Phil the Thrill
Mickelson just has a way of popping up on major leaderboards every now and again, even at the ripe age of 55. The most entertaining golfer of this era, Lefty made noise Thursday at Royal Portrush with an opening 70 to push him into red figures and into the top 20.
“I played really well, and I had an opportunity,” Mickelson said. “Like, I really enjoy playing these conditions and playing this tournament. It’s just a lot of fun.”
Mickelson was out in the thick of those conditions, among the first competitors to put on the full rain gear including the rare double rain gloves. Even with his sunglass on, Mickelson maneuvered his way around the golf course in a relatively tight manner exchanging three birdies against two bogeys and one all-world par save.
The 2013 champion discussed what the challenge was like, opening up about why he believes the greatest feat of his illustrious career remains raising the Claret Jug.
“I think winning The Open in 2013 was the greatest accomplishment in my career because I had to learn a style of golf that I didn’t grow up playing,” Mickelson said. “It’s kind of the greatest source of pride for me as a player to overcome those obstacles. Now I’ve come to really love it, enjoy it, and I seem to play well in some of the adverse conditions, too.
“I think it’s a sign of a complete player, to be able to win in all the conditions of the majors that they provide. Obviously I’ve never won a U.S. Open, but winning a Masters requires a whole different style of play than winning a U.S. Open and a PGA [Championship]. This is unique as well. I just think it’s a sign of a complete player.”
A little bit of everything
Wednesday in Portrush was swept with sunshine and blue skies — a far from what players faced on Thursday. The 156 competitors were presented just about 156 different conditions as they maneuvered through spells of heavy rain, whipping winds, calm periods, and some combination of all of the above.
The worst of it came in the middle portion of the morning wave, leaving those off in the afternoon a bit of a reprieve and a vital chance to score. Royal Portrush played just about two strokes over par for the day with the later starters averaging 1.50 strokes less than those on the course before them.
“The weather here is the craziest weather pattern I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Jason Day said. “There’s no consistency to it whatsoever. You look at the weather — I mean, I’d love to be a weatherman here. You just get it wrong all the time.”
Scheffler’s stroke
Scottie Scheffler started his Open with a strong 68 highlighted — more accurately: lowlighted — by hitting only three out of 14 fairways. Even though the right hander rarely played out of the short grass, he believed he struck his driver just fine as he played in the most difficult of the conditions during perhaps the most difficult stretch of the golf course.
“I actually thought I drove it pretty good. I don’t know what you guys are seeing,” Scheffler said. “When it’s raining sideways, it’s actually, believe it or not, not that easy to get the ball in the fairway. Thank you guys all for pointing that out. But yeah, 3-under par. Felt like I hit the ball nice off the tee, and really only had one swing I wasn’t too happy with on maybe the 2nd hole. But outside of that, I felt like I hit a lot of good tee shots, hit the ball really solid, so definitely a good bit of confidence for the next couple rounds.”
While Scheffler’s driving statistics may be the numbers that jump off the page, it is his putting figures that should sound the alarms for the rest of the field. Scheffler has never gained strokes with the putter in this tournament, which has been the main reason why he has four top-25 finishes and maybe only one real contention run.
On Thursday, he gained more than two strokes on the field with the putter in hand; if that continues, a fourth major championship title may be imminent.
The British are coming! The British are coming!
It has been 33 years since an Englishman raised the Claret Jug: Nick Faldo in 1992. There have been chances since, of course, including Faldo nearly winning another, Westwood having his chances and Justin Rose firmly sitting in contention last year. All have been fruitless, but perhaps 2025 will be different.
The English contingent is flying high following Thursday’s action as Matt Fitzpatrick holds a share of the lead with Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Jordan, Aaron Rai, Westwood and Rose all within a couple strokes of the top spot on the leaderboard. One of them may well break the drought and become only the fifth Englishman since World War II to earn the title Champion Golfer of the Year.
“Giving myself legitimate chances to win majors recently is a good feeling,” Rose said. “It kind of makes me think I’m coming here as a contender, which is great. I’m not here to try to find something magical. If I play my game and if I stick and do my best, I’m going to give myself a chance, so that’s good to know. So that’s my mindset coming in.
“I’m not trying to avenge anything. This golf course is different to Troon, so you’ve got to build a body of work. You’ve got to master this week and this tournament. That’s what I’m focusing on.”
A monk mindset
Sadom Kaewkanjana played on LIV Golf, won twice on the Asian Tour and even finished T11 at The Open at St. Andrews before he took a break from the game. During this hiatus, he decided to live as a Buddhist monk and practice meditation.
“It’s my responsibility in Thailand, so I think it’s a new experience being a monk,” Kaewkanjana said. “They help like more concentrate on the golf course or outside the golf course. It’s made me a lot of focus. Forget everything outside, just live in the present. So I really enjoy being a monk.”
Having since returned to the professional game, the 27-year-old plays primarily on the Asian Tour and qualified for the championship thanks to a victory on the circuit in May. On Thursday, Kaewkanjana got off a roaring start, making the most of his opportunity and signed for a 68 to find a spot on the first page of the leaderboard. He credited his mindset for doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
“Stay in the present,” he said. “Just stay in my mind.”
Bryson remains befuddled
No matter the amount of wind testing and practice hitting half shots required for links golf, Bryson DeChambeau remains baffled by the examination. For his seventh straight round in The Open, DeChambeau failed to break 70 with his opening 78 representing his highest score during this span.
The two-time U.S. Open champion carded two double bogeys, three bogeys and zero birdies across his first 18 holes as he struggled to keep the ball in front of him and struggled to find a semblance of comfort around the greens. He will have work to do if he is to make the weekend siting ahead of only six players on the leaderboard after 18 holes. DeChambeau is in serious jeopardy of missing back-to-back cuts in major championships for the first time since 2017.
