Thursday at the Open: Rory and Bryson flop, Todd Hamilton awe, and Troon punches

The Shotgun Start

Andy and Brendan are buzzing after a bountiful first day at the Open at Royal Troon. They begin with the first tee time of the day, which offered its own stimulant in place of coffee in the form of Todd Hamilton’s electric swing. This leads to a running Hamilton facts segment, some Dan Bradbury woe, Dan Brown praise, and Ernie apologia. They also discuss Shane Lowry, JT, and some of the other leaders on what was a very tough day at Troon, especially early. There are some ample course notes about the winds and the challenge it presented with a few specific holes that rang out during the marathon watch. There is a games-within-the-game checkin, and a few new creations, and best and worst surprises from day one, which put a certain Aussie in the crosshairs. They cover the disappointing days of Rory and Bryson and assess if they are completely out of it for the weekend. Just-A-Guy gets an evaluation after, who could have guessed, an up-and-down day. They close with some thoughts on coverage and a few awards from round one.