Open Championship 2026 Round 1: What to know as Jackson Suber takes the lead

Key Points:

• American Jackson Suber leads the 154th Open Championship after a debut round of 65, becoming only the fourth player in history to shoot 65 or lower in their first Open round; he gained over three strokes on the field putting and finished the last five holes 4-under, including an eagle at 17.
• Several notable players posted strong rounds, including Dan Brown and Sungjae Im with matching scores of 66, and Cameron Young, ranked No. 4, who recovered his putting form to shoot 3-under and join a large group at that score.
• Bryson DeChambeau improved his short game significantly after early struggles in the season, shooting 67 despite hitting only four fairways but managing 15 greens in regulation, a rare feat in major championships.
• Defending champion Scottie Scheffler started strong with a 43-foot birdie but faded on the back nine to finish 68, while past champions Henrik Stenson and Collin Morikawa also posted solid 2-under rounds, with Morikawa gaining over three strokes with his iron play.
• Rory McIlroy had a difficult first round, scoring 2-over 72 with poor putting and bogeys on two par 5s, placing him tied for 85th; meanwhile, local favorite Tommy Fleetwood managed a 69 despite hitting only nine greens in regulation.