On Monday, Jackson Suber played links golf for the 1st time. By Thursday evening, he was looking down at Scottie Scheffler and the rest of the Open field from the top of the leaderboard.
The 26 year old American opened with a 5 under 65 at Royal Birkdale, 1 shot better than Dan Brown and Sungjae Im. His score was the lowest opening round at Birkdale since Craig Stadler fired a 64 in the 1st round of the 1983 championship.
Suber did not cruise there. A birdie at 5 disappeared with a bogey at 6. He took the shot back at 7 and gave it away again at 8, reaching the turn at level par. Then the round changed. Birdies at 10 and 11 settled him. Another at 14 kept him moving. A demanding par save at 15 and a birdie at 16 brought the lead within reach. The decisive moment came at 17, where a fearless iron shot turned a strong debut into the story of the day.
The 4 Iron That Changed the Round
At 17, Suber drove into the right rough but missed the bunker by enough to keep the green in play. From 233 yards, he choked down on a 4 iron and sent the ball toward the front edge. It landed safely, kept rolling, and stopped about 6 feet from the cup.
He made the eagle putt.
That swing carried more weight because of what happened 2 holes earlier. The new par 3 15th falls sharply away on both sides of the green. Suber faced a demanding recovery there and saved par. He followed with a birdie from 6 feet at 16. Instead of letting Birkdale punish him, he stole 3 shots across the next 2 holes.
Suber finished with 6 birdies, 3 bogeys, 8 pars, and 1 eagle. More revealing was how he handled the misses. A poor bounce did not lead to a wild recovery. One bogey never became 2. He refused to hit panic shots from the rough.
A 3 Day Education in Links Golf
Before this week, Suber had never visited Europe. He prepared by studying footage of Royal Birkdale and playing practice rounds across the firm, unfamiliar ground.
“I had only played 27 holes of links golf in Europe before the 1st hole today,” Suber said.
That admission gave his 65 even more weight. Royal Birkdale asks players to accept awkward bounces, judge changing winds, and land the ball well short of targets. Suber handled those demands without looking rushed. He picked conservative landing areas, stayed clear of the deepest bunkers, and resisted the urge to force recovery shots.
With caddie Greyson Porter beside him, Suber kept each decision simple. Pick the target. Trust the swing. Move on. The PGA Tour captured the contrast perfectly, noting that Suber “might be new to links golf, but he is not showing it.”
That calm became crucial after an uneven front 9. Suber never chased the leaderboard. He stayed patient until Royal Birkdale finally gave him an opening.
Scheffler Stays Close as DeChambeau Attacks
Scheffler looked ready to run away early. The defending champion made 4 birdies in his first 6 holes, including a 40 foot putt at the 6th. Then Birkdale pushed back. He missed the 7th green, failed to make another birdie, and bogeyed the 17th after finding a buried lie in thick grass. His 68 left him 3 shots behind.
DeChambeau chose a louder route. He drove over the trouble at the par 4 2nd and the blind par 4 10th, then made birdie on both. His raw power removed several bunkers from the equation. Late bogeys at 14 and 18 kept him at 67, 2 shots behind Suber.
McIlroy never found the same control. He missed 3 short putts during a 4 hole stretch and finished with a 72. Brown and Im, meanwhile, gave Suber the nearest target with matching 66s.
The leaderboard remained crowded, but Suber had done more than post an early number. He had answered every type of question Birkdale asked. He survived a messy start, found birdies when the course offered them, and produced the best shot of his round when the pressure peaked.
Friday Brings a Harder Kind of Pressure
Nobody gets handed the Claret Jug on Thursday. Suber now has to play with his name above the biggest players in golf, with cameras following every swing and the field waiting for a response.
Conditions may also change. Royal Birkdale played firm, dry, and fast in the opening round. A stronger breeze could force different clubs, lower flights, and safer targets. Thursday’s answers may not work on Friday.
Still, the 65 did not look like a lucky card built on holed bunker shots or impossible putts. Suber earned his chance through patience. He recovered at 15. He converted at 16. Then he attacked at 17 when the moment arrived.
Scheffler remains close. DeChambeau is close. Several proven contenders are within reach.
For 1 day, though, Royal Birkdale belonged to the newcomer who had spent only 3 days learning how to play it.
READ ALSO: How Scottie Scheffler Is Using a Rare Missed Cut to Fuel His Open Title Defense
FAQs
What did Jackson Suber shoot in the first round?
Suber shot a 5 under 65 at Royal Birkdale. The score gave him a 1 shot lead.
How much links golf had Jackson Suber played?
Suber had played only 27 holes of links golf before beginning his first Open Championship round.
Who was closest to Jackson Suber after round 1?
Dan Brown and Sungjae Im each shot 66. They finished the opening round 1 stroke behind Suber.
What was Jackson Suber’s biggest shot?
Suber hit a 4 iron from 233 yards to about 6 feet at the 17th. He made the putt for eagle.
How far behind was Scottie Scheffler?
Scheffler opened with a 2 under 68. The defending champion finished the round 3 strokes behind Suber.
Tracking stats and settling debates. If there is a scoreboard, I am watching it.
