Debutant Jackson Suber leads British Open after stunning opening round

WEB DESK: American debutant Jackson Suber took the early lead at the British Open on Thursday with a five-under 65 at Royal Birkdale, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau also made strong starts.

England’s Dan Brown and South Korea’s Im Sung-jae had briefly shared the lead after opening rounds of 66 before Suber moved ahead with six birdies and a memorable eagle on the par-five 17th.

Suber became the fourth player to shoot 65 or lower on his Open debut. “This was only my fifth day ever in Europe, so I’m definitely learning the links course,” he said.

Scheffler, aiming to become the first back-to-back Open champion since Padraig Harrington in 2008, carded a two-under 68, while DeChambeau finished with a three-under 67.

DeChambeau, who missed the cut in the year’s first three majors, was part of a group on three under alongside Belgium’s Thomas Detry, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, Francesco Molinari and Alex Smalley.

Home favourite Tommy Fleetwood opened with a one-under 69, while Justin Rose struggled with a 75. Royal Birkdale’s dry conditions have created a much faster course compared with its rain-affected 2017 Open edition.