Their names were greeted with applause. The reception was polite for the two Americans, defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, and a bit more effusive for Tyrrell Hatton. That may have been because his Legion XIII tour bag boldly flaunted the red of Liverpool FC with “You’ll Never Walk Alone” printed into its fabric.
Or, maybe, it was a form of sympathetic bonding towards Hatton from those gathered in the grandstand around the first tee box. This was, of course, the morning after the night before, when England’s World Cup dreams floundered.
At least Hatton had his own dreams to chase, even if a wayward drive down the right side of the first hole seemed a little ominous. His play of the first involved walking most of the way up to the green and then retracing his steps back over the hills before playing an exquisite approach to 10 feet to set up an opening birdie. It was a first glimpse at Hatton’s way of getting the job done.
Squinting eyes from those behind the ropes sought to distinguish the symbolism of the three tour bags hauled by the respective caddies.
While Hatton’s bag was clearly a nod to Liverpool – with the European Cup below his name – the other two were eye-catching in their own rights. DeChambeau’s bold yellow bag mimicked the colouring of the giant leaderboards dotted around the course. It also blended in with the “Quiet Please” holders of the accompanying marshalls, as well as the bibs worn by the caddies.
World No 1 Scheffler’s TaylorMade bag carried an array of messaging, with multiple symbols. Royalty. Fish and chips. A merry-go-round.
The three – two from LIV, one from the PGA Tour – were comfortable, with none of the angst or tensions that have existed between the various tours in the fracturing of men’s professional golf in recent years. All would post scores that had them in strong positions to contend going forward: DeChambeau signed for a 67, Scheffler for a 68 and Hatton for a 69.
Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton at the end of day one of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton at the end of day one of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
“Our group, we were pretty chatty today, I think,” said Hatton. “There was times when you just have a good chat before you have to start focusing on the next shot . . . you only need to concentrate when you get to your ball, don’t you. There’s a lot more downtime."
There were occasions, though, when one of the trio were diverted off course.
In Hatton’s case, it came on the 13th. A wild drive found a sandy lie where, most likely, a spectator had left the heel imprint of his size 10s. “I was worried about it,” said Hatton. “I thought, more realistically, I was probably going to fat it because it was in a heel print. I was worried about carrying the bunker that was, like, 50 yards ahead of me.
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“I somehow managed to get ball first. I knew, if I did get ball first, it was going to come out low. I was more worried about the people that stood there, to be honest. I didn’t want to hit anyone. Obviously [I] got lucky, it ended up just on the edge of the green,” explained Hatton of conjuring up a par-four on the hole.
In Scheffler’s case, his moment of drama came on the 17th. He incurred a bogey six on the par-five that could potentially have been higher.
Scottie Scheffler greets fans on day one of the Open at Royal Birkdale. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler greets fans on day one of the Open at Royal Birkdale. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
When Scheffler got his ball, it was imbedded underneath a wire. “I’m hoping somebody stepped on it, but nobody would fess up. Apparently nobody did. It was just one of those things. I was just shocked at how deep the ball was in that grass. It looked like a lot of good spots around there, and then all of a sudden you get to one area where my ball is. I considered actually taking an unplayable.
“It’s just one of those deals; sometimes you hit it over there and you get a clean lie and you’re able to give yourself a look, and then other times like today, you pay a pretty severe price.”
And he provided the answer to his own question of being there in the first place. “I guess don’t hit it offline,” said Scheffler, who had reached four-under through six holes only to stall thereafter. “Any time you can shoot under par to start a major championship, it’s a good spot to be in. If I continue to strike the ball the way I did today and just keep giving myself looks, that’s part of it. Golf is played over 72 holes and I definitely liked what I saw today.”