DJ Off to Hot Start at Open Championship


One of the great things about golf is that there's always another round to play. A month after three-putting the 72nd hole at Chambers Bay in the U.S. Open that caused him to miss out on an outright victory or a Monday playoff with Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson came out firing in the 144th Open Championship.

The third major of the year started Thursday on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

The 31-year-old from South Carolina got off to a great start, carding three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole to make the turn in 5-under 31. Johnson slowed down a bit on the home half with two birdies, but there was nary a dropped shot on his card en route to his opening 65.

Johnson told reporters after his first round that he has moved on from any disappointment at the U.S. Open. "Nothing bad happened at Chambers Bay, so I wasn't disappointed, really," he said. "I did everything I was supposed to. I couldn't control what the ball was doing on the greens there.

"There's really no bad feelings from that, only good. I played really well and then it carried over to today," he added. "Any time you shoot 65 it is very pleasing. I thought I played well today I made two key par putts on 16 and 17."

DJ played in the same group with Spieth, who also won the 2015 Masters and also got off to a good start with a 67. Spieth, who turns 22 July 27, also posted a 31 on the front nine before carding two birdies and a pair of bogeys on the back.

"I am very pleased with the start. It was certainly nice to finish that way," said Spieth, who's vying to become only the second player in history to win all four majors in the same year; Bobby Jones did it in 1930. "If Dustin keeps driving the way he is I'm going to have to be at my best to have a chance. He doesn't really play badly, ever."

Opening with 66s were Americans Robert Streb and Zach Johnson, South African Retief Goosen, Scotland's Paul Lawrie, England's Danny Willett and Aussie Jason Day.

The veteran Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open champion, was pleased with his first round but knows there are many holes to play. "It's definitely one of the best rounds I've played around here at St. Andrews but you know it's a long way to go," said the 46-year-old, whose best Open finish is a tie for fifth (in 2005 and '09). "Maybe there is something good coming."

Those joining Spieth with 67s were American amateur Jordan Niebrugge, Las Vegas resident Kevin Na and South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

Oosthuizen won the Claret Jug in 2010, the most recent time the Open was held at St. Andrews. The 32-year-old has not shot worse than 71 in his last 11 rounds at the Old Course and is a combined 48-under par on the historic links during that time.

Other scores included a 71 by two-time Masters' champion Bubba Watson and a 76 by five-time Open champion Tom Watson, who's playing in his 40th and final British Open.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is not entered. He withdrew last week after rupturing a ligament in his left ankle playing soccer.

The players needed to have good rounds Thursday as on Friday a storm front is coming in that's expected to bring wind gusts that could reach 40 mph and rain in the morning. The weather is expected to improve a bit on Saturday, with Sunday's forecast calling for sunshine and winds in the relatively balmy 10-15 mph range.

For all the scores, visit http://www.theopen.com/leaderboard#!/traditional.