Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick in 5-way tie for lead at Open Championship

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland: Harris English and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick joined Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, China’s Haotong Li and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout with 4-under par 67s to share the first-round lead of the Open Championship on Thursday at Portrush, Northern Ireland.

Scores were bunched together up and down the leaderboard as dealing with the elements became part of the challenge at Royal Portrush Golf Club. Golfers battled wind gusts and, for those playing in the middle of the day, rain that was bothersome at times.

“Wind is something that obviously makes links golf challenging, but the rain adds a whole new element to it, especially when you’re hitting the tee balls,” said World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who’s one stroke back after shooting 68.

English reached 5 under for the solo lead with his seventh birdie of the round before a bogey on No. 14 and pars the rest of the way.

“That’s why I come over and play the Scottish (Open) is to get used to links golf,” English said afterward. “I played really well last week. I didn’t have the Sunday that I wanted, but I felt like my game was sharp and I did what I needed to do to get ready for this week.”

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Englishmen Matthew Jordan and Tyrrell Hatton matched Scheffler with 68s.

There are 10 golfers at 2-under 69, including Danish twin brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, Lee Westwood of England, 2023 Open champ Brian Harman, Rickie Fowler and England’s Justin Rose. Lucas Glover, aided by an eagle on the second hole, reached 4 under through seven holes before a couple of bogeys on the back nine left him at 2 under as well.

Phil Mickelson, the tournament’s 2013 champion, stood at 2 under at the round’s midway mark