Charl Schwartzel hit a beautiful 6-iron into the 18th green to set up a closing birdie and shoot 66 to move within one of the leaders, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
The one-time Major champion would’ve gone into the opening round as the bookies’ underdog to finish as the best-placed golfer from the marquee trio, alongside world number one Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy.
Johnson settled for a par on 18 for an opening 71, the same tally as McIlroy – albeit in remarkably different circumstances.
McIlroy went out in 39 and had one foot on the plane home, but produced a flawless inward nine of 32 – four birdies without a drop – to keep himself in The Open at precisely the time when he looked like he was crashing out. The Northern Irishman was five over after six, with four bogeys in a row, but made two vital par saves before beginning what would be a stellar back nine.
The world number four birdied both back nine par 5s before sinking a lengthy birdie putt on 18 to end his day in fine style. Johnson’s round was far less spectacular, carding just one birdie with two bogeys as he struggled all afternoon in fairly benign conditions. After dominating the early part of the year, he failed to find more than 60% of the greens at Royal Birkdale, and has plenty to improve upon on Friday if he wants to add the Open to the US Open crown he won last season.
Both mega-stars were trumped on Thursday by SA’s Schwartzel, who finds himself just one off the pace after his opening 18 holes.
He went out in level par 34 with bogeys at 6 and 7 cancelling out birdies on 1 and 9, before turning it on with a blistering back nine. While his stats – finding just 57% of fairways and 67% of fairways – tell one story, he carded four birdies, including one at the last set-up with an exquisite approach to move within one of the lead of Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar.
An intriguing day will follow on Friday with McIlroy ready to charge, Johnson looking for form and Schwartzel within touch of the leaders.
Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
