00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Harris English Leads the Charge at the Open’s Longest Day
04:56 – The Open 2025 Round 1 Highlights: Scheffler, McIlroy in Contention | Royal Portrush Drama
1. Harris English Leads the Charge at the Open’s Longest Day
Join us as we dive into the thrilling events of the Open Championship’s longest day. Discover the eclectic stories of leaders like Harris English, Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler. Learn about the challenges faced by players in brutal conditions and the remarkable performances that kept fans on the edge of their seats. From Harris English’s quest to make history to the unique tales of Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Sadom Kaewkanjana, this video covers it all. Don’t miss out on the highlights and insights from this unforgettable day in golf!
2. The Open 2025 Round 1 Highlights: Scheffler, McIlroy in Contention | Royal Portrush Drama
Experience the thrilling opening round of The Open 2025 at Royal Portrush! A five-way tie for the lead, featuring Harris English, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jacob Skov Olesen, Haotong Li, and Christian Bezuidenhout, sets the stage for an exciting tournament. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and local favorite Rory McIlroy are in contention, despite challenging conditions. Watch highlights, hear from the players, and get insights into the dramatic start of this major championship. Don’t miss the action as the world’s best golfers battle it out in Northern Ireland!
Key Moments:
– Five-way tie for the lead at 4-under-par
– Scottie Scheffler’s 3-under 68 despite hitting only three fairways
– Rory McIlroy’s 1-under 70 with just two fairways hit
– Harris English’s patience-driven performance
– Phil Mickelson’s reflections on his career and love for The Open
– Notable groupings and pin positions for Round 2
#TheOpen2025 #GolfHighlights #RoyalPortrush #ScottieScheffler #RoryMcIlroy #golf
One, Harris English leads the charge at the Open’s longest day. Two, the Open 2025 round one highlights. She shuffler macar in contention. Royal portrait drama. One, Harris English leads the charge at the Open’s longest day. The 2023 Open Championship delivered a dramatic opening day filled with unexpected twists and a leaderboard packed with intriguing stories. Forget the usual suspects. This year’s open is a tale of resilience, redemption, and sheer unpredictability. While Rory Mara’s return to Northern Ireland dominated headlines, the real drama unfolded elsewhere with a cast of characters that defied expectations. Mara, battling more with his own game than the elements, scraped through with a 70, leaving him just three strokes off the lead in a tightly packed field. But here’s where it gets controversial. Scotty Sheffller, notorious for his stealthy rise to the top, sits just one stroke back despite ranking a staggering 150th in driving accuracy. Sheffller’s casual remark about the rain. When it’s raining sideways, it’s not exactly easy to hit fairways felt almost dismissive, as if he’s already plotting his next move. If Sheffler has finally cracked the Open’s code, the question isn’t who will win, but who will finish second. And this is the part most people miss. Harris English, quietly positioned at the top, arrived without his caddy, Eric Larson, who was denied entry to the UK due to a decades old drug conviction. English’s anonymity was so complete that he walked into a bustling portrait bar on Wednesday without a single head turning. Yet he’s now just 54 holes away from becoming the first Englishman to win the Open since 1992. Talk about flying under the radar. The leaderboard is a who’s who of compelling narratives. Christian Bazudinhout, who accidentally ingested rat poison as a toddler, battled a stammer and a doping ban before finding his way to the top. Samadam Kaijana, an ordained monk, is chasing the clarit jug while dreaming of Augusta’s Magnolia Lane. When asked about dedicating himself to Buddhism, he bluntly replied, “My goal is to play in the masters. No meditation here, just pure ambition.” This was golf’s longest day with rounds stretching to six grueling hours. Keegan Bradley, the US Rider Cup captain, described the chaos. Five groups clustered around the seventh hole, waiting their turn. “It felt like 12 hours out there,” said Mark Leechman. Grimm doesn’t even begin to cover it. As darkness fell, five players, English Bazudinhout, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lihowam, and Jacob Scavison shared the lead at four under. Olison, a former amateur champion, lit up the back nine with a stunning 32. Sheffller, Kaiikenjana, Matthew Jordan, and Tier Hatton lurked just one stroke back. Hatton, fresh off a strong US Open performance, kept his famously fiery temper in check during this grueling test. The morning starters faced brutal squaly conditions, but a predicted afternoon storm never materialized. Maroy teed off in serene conditions, yet the early leaders Olison, Lee, and Fitzpatrick held their ground until English’s birdie on the 12th. Menacing pin positions kept scores higher than expected, adding another layer of challenge. John Rom sits at one under while 2019 Portrait champion Shane Lowry beamed after a solid 70. Lee Westwood, a fan favorite, rolled back the years with a 69, as did Ricky Fowler and Nikolai Hajgard, who only qualified on Sunday. Aaron Ry, four under by the 9th, faded to join the 69 club. Justin Rose closed out his round at two under just before 900 p.m. with English finishing shortly after. Chaos rained at times. Tommy Fleetwood’s ball landed in footmarks in a bunker, sparking debate over the RNA’s new policy of caddies cleaning up after players. Bryson Dashambo’s whiff shot from kneeh high rough at the fourth became instant YouTube fodder, capping a disastrous 78, his worst major opening round. Windham Clark, fresh off a band from Oakmont for locker room antics, slumped to a 76. Patrick Reed, Brooks Kepka, and Colin Morawa also struggled, leaving the door wide open for underdogs and a lurking Sheffller. So, here’s the burning question. Can Sheffller finally conquer the open, or will an underdog like English or Kaijana steal the show? What’s your take? Let’s hear it in the comments. This open is far from over. Two, the Open 2025 round one highlights. Sheffller Mara in contention. Royal Portrait drama. The opening day of the Open Championship 2025 at Royal Portrait in Northern Ireland was nothing short of thrilling, marked by challenging weather conditions and an exciting five-way tie for the lead. As the rain poured and the winds held, the first round concluded with five players all at four under par. Harris English, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jacob Scavison only, and Christian Bazudin. Local favorite Rory Maro managed to stay in contention with a score of one under 70 despite only managing to hit two fairways throughout his round. Meanwhile, the world’s top ranked golfer, Scotty Sheffller, closely followed with the three under 68, hitting just three fairways himself. John Rahm, a two-time major champion and one of the tournament favorites, also kept his hopes alive with a score of one under 70, trailing the leaders by three shots. Among the afternoon group of players, Harris English stood out with the best round, sharing the lead after a brief moment of flirting with a solo lead on the back nine. As the rain eased, the wind picked up, contributing to a lengthy first round that extended past 900 p.m. local time. Looking ahead, the second round is set to commence at 1:30 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, which translates to 6:30 a.m. local time in Northern Ireland or 10:30 p.m. Pacific time for those on the US West Coast. We’ll be covering all the action from Royal Portrait right here at The Athletic, so stay tuned. Phil Mickelson, the 2013 Open Champion, appears to be savoring what could be one of his final major tournaments. Reflecting on his experience, he shared, “I really enjoyed it. I played really well and I had an opportunity. I find that portrait is a very rewarding course for good shots, but it can be punishing if you miss. Winning the Open in 2013 remains my greatest achievement because I had to adapt my game to succeed in conditions I wasn’t used to. Now I truly enjoy it and seem to perform well even in tough situations.” Harris English emphasized the importance of patience during his round, stating, “You have to be patient out there. I didn’t realize it was a 6-hour round until I saw the clock on 18. Playing with Tony and Nick made it easier. We had a good time. There were long waits on the TE’s, and while some holes were drivable, others posed challenges. Patience was key. As for the shot of the day, there were several contenders, including a remarkable effort from Daniel Brown on the sixth hole. What do you think? Who deserves the title of shot of the day? Share your thoughts by emailing live attheathletic.com. Christian Bazudinhout, one of the five co-leaders, had an impressive day, particularly with his approach shots. He noted, “I had a solid finish at the Scottish Open last week, and my game felt good. I’ve been working hard on my swing to achieve more consistency, which has been a challenge throughout my career. I’m focusing on reducing face rotation during my shots to improve my ball striking. As we look forward to the second round, here are the pin positions for tomorrow’s play at Portric. Notable groupings to watch include Rory Mara, who is aiming to replicate Tigerwood’s feet of winning both the Masters and the Open since 2005. Historically, this year’s Open Championship has seen the second highest number of players tied for the lead after the first round with only the 1938 Open at Royal St. George’s having more co-leaders. Scotty Sheffller, despite only hitting three fairways, defended his performance, saying, “I thought I drove the ball well. It’s tough to keep it in the fairway when the rain is coming down sideways. I felt confident with my T-shots, and I’m looking forward to the next rounds. The wind adds a layer of difficulty, especially with the rain affecting the ball’s contact with the club. Matt Fitzpatrick, who has never finished better than T20 at the Open, achieved his lowest opening round score in a major with a 67. He’s coming off two consecutive top 10 finishes, a significant improvement from his earlier performances this year. In contrast, Bryson Dashambo faced challenges, recording his second round in major championship history without a birdie, finishing with a disappointing seven over 78. Rory Maro’s one under 70 was notable for hitting only two fairways, tying for the fewest in his open career. In fact, over the last 25 years, only two other players have managed to finish under par at the open while hitting two or fewer fairways. Historically, there has only been one instance of five or more players sharing the lead after the first round of the Open, which occurred in 1938. As the first round concluded, Harris English capped off his day with a smooth two putt, joining the group of players who shot 67. Meanwhile, Tony Fenau also finished strong with a one under par 70, while Nick Taylor struggled, ending with a double bogey for a six over par 77.
