Reed 5-under for lead
TROON, Scotland — Americans are impressing once again at a British Open at Royal Troon.
The last six Open champions at Troon have come from the United States, and Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas are extending the country’s dominance after shooting the best two early rounds Thursday.
Reed eagled the par-4 third, had three birdies in the following four holes, and picked up another shot at the last for a 5-under 66 and the early clubhouse lead.
Thomas birdied his first four holes and recovered from a double-bogey 6 at No. 15 by also making a birdie at No. 18 for a 67.
Another American, Bubba Watson, was alongside Reed and Thomas atop the leaderboard until he triple-bogeyed No. 8 — the testing par-3 nicknamed the “Postage Stamp” — and then made bogey at Nos. 10 and 11. He is level par through 13 holes.
Rory McIlroy is 4 under through 12 holes on his first round at the British Open since lifting the claret jug in 2014. He missed last year’s tournament because of injury.
Louis Oosthuizen made the first hole-in-one at the British Open.
The 2010 champion from South Africa aced the par-3 No. 14 from 167 yards, his ball pitching in front of the hole and curling into the cup. He threw his arms up in celebration for what was his second hole-in-one at a major this year, after acing the 16th in the final round of the Masters.
With his ball buried and up against the face of a pot bunker, Colin Montgomerie feared the worst after just two shots of his first round at the British Open.
Montgomerie was given the honor of hitting the first tee shot at Royal Troon, his home club, in what likely will be his last Open.
His second shot landed in him in such trouble that it took two shots to get out of the bunker. An up-and-down later, Monty was walking off with a double-bogey 6 from one of the easiest holes at Troon.
He finished with an even-par 71.
