June 23, 2024; Cromwell, Connecticut, USA; Justin Thomas on the fourth tee in the course of the closing spherical of the Vacationers Championship golf match at TPC River Highlands Hit the ball. Obligatory Credit score: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports activities Justin Thomas birdied his closing two holes for a 3-under 68 and took the lead in Thursday’s 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland.
Thomas, a two-time main champion, has struggled in latest seasons, recording seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. A birdie on the second gap put him out, and he was 4 below via 11 holes earlier than lacking his tee shot on the par-4 twelfth.
A double bogey there and a bogey on the thirteenth gap did not put him off the course in cool, wet climate by the Scottish seaside. Thomas birdied 8 ft on the seventeenth gap to maneuver the joint chief to 2 below, and he made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th gap to take the lead.
“I really feel like every part goes in the correct course and I have been doing the correct issues,” mentioned Thomas, who has not gained for the reason that 2022 PGA Championship. “Like I mentioned, I did not actually present a lot. That is how this recreation works generally. However I knew I used to be shut and I used to be simply going to maintain enjoying and never battle for the end result, for me. Combat for the sport and every part will fall into place.
Alex Nolen of Sweden, Nicolai Hoggard of Denmark, Justin Rose of England and Russell Henry shot 69s earlier within the day to complete at 2 below. The 43-year-old Rose, who needed to go the ultimate qualifying spherical earlier than he may play, was the one participant to play bogey-free.
Australian Adam Scott, Britons Matt Wallace and Chris Kirk shot 70, one below, within the clubhouse.
Northern Eire’s Rory McIlroy is already in peril of lacking the lower after a disastrous collection of holes. On the No. 3 gap, nicknamed “The Stamp” for its small inexperienced, McIlroy found a coffin bunker on the tee. When he first tried to punch, the ball rolled down the slope again into the sand.
McIlroy made double bogey there, and after a bogey on the tenth gap, he hit his tee shot out of bounds on the par-4 eleventh gap and made one other double bogey. At 3 pm native time, he accomplished 16 holes and achieved a rating of 6 over par.
Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka and Collin Morikawa had simply teed off the afternoon session.
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