The Open Day 1 Wrap Up

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

YOU have got to hand it to Dustin Johnson. No matter how many times you knock him down, he gets back up again and carries on as if nothing has happened.

After a disastrous three-putt on the 72nd green at Chambers Bay cost him his chance of winning the US Open, many of us got to wondering how many blows the big American could take. Surely it had to get between his ears?

Not a chance. He came to St Andrews telling everybody he had got over the disappointment. Nobody believed him. But guess what? He reduced St Andrews to 65 blows and leads The 144th Open Championship by a shot, but with a star-studded cast breathing down his neck.

Johnson, who was playing with Jordan Spieth, had the best of the weather. And boy did he take advantage of it. He had seven threes, including an eagle, and not a single five on his card. The Old Course has never looked so easy. Spieth, who is bidding to add The Open to The Masters and US Open, was also  pretty impressive. He saw the course for the first time on Monday but negotiated his way round in 67.

Jason Day, seemingly recovered from the vertigo that blighted his challenge at Chambers Bay, lies one behind Johnson. And alongside him is Retief Goosen, who hasn't featured on the leaderboard at a major for a long time. In fact, the double US Open champion had to pre-qualify to make it to the Old Course.

Danny Willett, who is second in the Race to Dubai, also finished with a 66. Louis Oosthuizen, who won the last time the tournament was played here, is also  handily placed. But Tiger Woods struggled again, stumbling to a 76 after a bogey-bogey start. His game is still a long way short of being tournament-ready, but he continues to look on the bright side, seemingly blind to the evidence of his own eyes. Nick Faldo fared even worse, finishing with an 83.

And Tom Watson entered the finishing stretch two under par, only to double-bogey three holes on the way in. He now has a mountain to climb if he is to play all 72 holes in what is his final Open Championship.

The weather forecast for Friday is dreadful, with those who endured the worst of the conditions in the first round expected to face strong wind and rain. It means that the winner is likely to come from the players who competed in relatively calm conditions on day one - in other words, all of the leading group.

Johnson was delighted with his performance. "I drove the ball really well today and put it where I wanted," he said. "I only got out of position on a couple of occasions but managed to get myself out of trouble. Chambers Bay, and what happened there, is not an issue for me. I just want to move on and see if I can win this tournament. I really like the course."

Spieth was also pretty happy. "I didn't learn much that I didn't already know, although that will all change if the wind starts to blow from a different direction," he said. "My game is in good shape, I like the course and I am playing well. It is all good."

Those are ominous words for Spieth's rivals.

A word of warning, however, for anybody who believes the Old Course lacks teeth. David Lingmerth, of Sweden, raced to the turn in 29 shots. The old lady was appalled by his temerity and turned on him on the back nine, which he required 40 shots to negotiate. You have been warned...