Spieth entered Portrush with four straight top-25 Open finishes, so there should be plenty of confidence that he turns in a much better round on Friday. Making up a six-shot deficit will be tough, but if Spieth can get to even-par, or even one-under, he'll have a shot to get into the top 10 before the weekend.

HOME HERO: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made a late birdie for a 70 and was three shots behind. The last time he played the British Open at Royal Portrush, he made an 8 on the first hole, shot 79 and wound up missing the cut.

Matt Fitzpatrick was asked on camera to rate his opening round at the 153rd British Open on Thursday. He smiled and didn’t have to think long.

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World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was a fountain of introspection Tuesday at his news conference entering the 2025 British Open, calling golf "an unsatisfying venture" and admitting that he often wrestles with motivation.

Scheffler, the top-ranked player in the world, has three wins on Tour this year, including a major victory at the 2025 PGA Championship. Scheffler finished tied for seventh in last month's U.S. Open and has finished in the top 10 in nine consecutive tournaments.

Chris Gotterup may have secured his FedEx Cup playoff spot by winning the Genesis Scottish Open, jumping from 88th to 39th in the standings. Scottie Scheffler maintains a substantial lead in the FedEx Cup standings despite Rory McIlroy gaining ground.

The final men's major of the year is here, as the 2025 British Open Championship kicks off Thursday morning at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.