World No 1 and
US Open champion is two off leadJack Senior, a top amateur 10 years ago, in front with 64Jon Rahm was the favourite for the Open Championship even before this, his maiden Scottish Open appearance. A 66 at the Renaissance Club emphasised the fact that the recently crowned US Open champion is golf’s man of the moment. He is surely the one to beat at Royal St George’s.
The world No 1 played precisely as a man of such status should do. Seven birdies offset dropped shots at the 9th and 15th. Rahm’s bid to add the Scottish Open trophy to two of its
Irish equivalents has started in perfect form. Justin Thomas, playing alongside Rahm, picked up a shot at the last to outscore the Spaniard by one. Thomas’s round was of bogey‑free variety.