McIlroy makes sluggish start as DeChambeau chases Suber at The Open

Jackson Suber holds a one-shot lead over Sungjae Im and Dan Brown after the opening day, with Bryson DeChambeau two strokes back; Rory McIlroy left battling to make the cut after a slow start at Royal Birkdale; watch day two live on Friday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf

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>Bryson DeChambeau and defending champion Scottie Scheffler both made encouraging starts to The 154th Open, as Rory McIlroy’s major hopes suffered an early setback.

>Jackson Suber marked his Open debut and first visit to Europe by grabbing a shock major lead at Royal Birkdale, with a birdie-eagle run late in his round seeing him post a five-under 65.

>Dan Brown and his playing partner Sungjae Im had set the initial target after carding opening-round 66s earlier in the day, with DeChambeau one of 10 players two off the pace after beginning his bid to avoid a fourth consecutive major missed cut with a three-under 67.

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>DeChambeau played alongside Scheffler, looking to become the first back-to-back winner since Padraig Harrington, with the world No 1 bouncing back from last week's missed cut at the Genesis Scottish Open to open with a two-under 68.

>Southport-born Tommy Fleetwood's bid for a first English victory since 1992 saw him battle to an opening-round 69, leaving him alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm, as McIlroy opened his bid for a seventh major title with a disappointing two-over 72.

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>McIlroy rallied from an opening-round 71 to a tied-fourth finish at this venue in 2017 and will need another impressive comeback to get back into contention, having struggled on the greens and bogeyed both par-fives in another erratic display.

>The 37-year-old - playing alongside Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick - bogeyed both par-threes on his front nine, including a three-putt bogey at the seventh, with the world No 2's putting woes continuing when he missed a four-foot birdie chance at the eighth.

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>The Masters champion responded by driving the green at the par-four ninth and two-putt for birdie, only to miss putts on the next two holes and start his second nine with back-to-back bogeys.

>A 25-foot birdie at the 13th raised hopes of a big finish for McIlroy, who then bogeyed the par-five next and cancelled a birdie at the par-three 15th with a bizarre blemish at the par-five 17th.

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>McIlroy's left miss returned with his approach from gnarly grass and his third was knifed into a greenside bunker, with a sensational shot - on one leg - from the sand not rewarded with a par, but a brilliant birdie at the last lifted him seven behind Suber.

>"Every time I made a stupid mistake, thankfully I made a birdie to keep myself in it," McIlroy admitted. "Not too far away. Hopefully we'll get the better conditions tomorrow and maybe the greens are a little bit smoother in the morning. Go out there and shoot a good one and get myself right back in it for the weekend."

>World No 115 Suber has never finished higher than 73rd in a major and has never won on the PGA Tour, but the American is the man to catch after mixing six birdies and three bogeys with a brilliant eagle at the par-five 17th.

>"This was only my fifth day ever in Europe, so I'm definitely learning the links course!" Suber said. "I settled a little more on the back nine and felt more comfortable."

>Thomas Detry was part of the opening group at 6.35am and the first player to post a three-under 67, with Robert MacIntyre, 2018 champion Francesco Molinari and Players champion Cameron Young among the others in the logjam two back alongside DeChambeau.

>DeChambeau had missed the cut in each of the last three majors and seen his links strategy questioned by six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo, although the two-time US Open champion threatened the lead until a final-hole bogey.

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>"I feel like I did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic and focused super hard on placing it in the right places," DeChambeau said. "Besides 18, I placed the ball in some good areas. I just need to hit more fairways. Other than that, I feel like my strategy was nice today."

>Scheffler birdied four of his opening six holes but slipped three behind after making two bogeys over the rest of his round, with 38 players under-par after a breezy opening day in firm and fast conditions.

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>PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai is part of the group one over and Matt Fitzpatrick joins McIlroy seven back, while Justin Rose looks in danger of missing the cut after a five-over 75.

>Sky Sports is once again the exclusive home of The Open in the UK and Ireland, with wall-to-wall action from the final men's major of the year continue on Friday at 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf.

>Featured Groups will be available on Sky Sports+ or the Sky Sports App, along with a player focus feed, with extended coverage of The Open then starting at 9am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf.

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