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British Open begins with rain, wind and big numbers

Sweden's Henrik Stenson signs autographs after a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale, Southport, England Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson) Sweden's Henrik Stenson signs autographs after a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale, Southport, England Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

By Associated Press July 20, 2017 1 min read

SOUTHPORT, England (AP) – Mark O’Meara was supposed to hit the first tee shot to start the 146th British Open. He wound up hitting two of them.

The British Open began Thursday morning with rain, wind and big numbers. O’Meara’s opening drive on the notoriously tough first hole at Royal Birkdale rode the wind into the gorse bushes on the right. He hit another tee shot, this one into a bunker on the left.

O’Meara, who won at Royal Birkdale in 1998 and is playing his final British Open, made quadruple-bogey 8. Ryan Moore took a double bogey and Chris Wood had to get up-and-down from 40 yards for a par.

It was an ominous start at a links course not known for low scoring.