Matthew Jordan delights host club members with early effort in 151st Open

Host club member Matthew Jordan set an early clubhouse target of two-under-par after hitting the opening shot in the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.

Host club member Matthew Jordan acknowledges fans on the 1st tee on day ine of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

In front of one of the largest crowds to watch the first group go out at 6.35am, Jordan missed the opening fairway on the left but raised the first cheer of the season’s final major by getting up and down from a greenside bunker.

Helped by a birdie at the second, the former St Andrews Links Trophy winner went on to sign for a 69 and, though that was seven shots more than his course record at the Hoylake venue, it still represented a fine morning’s work.

“Amazing,” he said of the experience afterwards. “I'm kind of running out of words to describe it. It was crazy, mental, loud, everything that I could have wished for. I'm certainly trying to think of a better experience than that, and I don't think I can.

“Obviously with the occasion and everything going on to start with, I'm really happy to certainly break 70. I think that's one thing, if you do that, you certainly can't be displeased.”

The new short 17th hole had been a big talking point in the build up to the opening day and the grandstand there was full an hour before Jordan arrived on the tee along with playing partners Richie Ramsay and Branden Grace.

“I honestly didn't expect them to go that crazy,” said Jordan of safely finding the putting surface as the trio all made pars. “It was almost like I'd holed it, to be honest. I had about three or four moments out there where the emotion kind of took over and I had to smile.”

It had been a 5am rise for the local hero, but it had been worth it, starting with his warm reception on the first tee. “Emotion-wise I obviously knew it was coming, so I was just trying to go through my prep and make sure everything was going okay,” he said.

“Then I kind of envisioned the night before, just went through my head kind of going through the tunnel, it becoming loud, meeting the starter, meeting the players, and it gave me a bit of comfort that I knew what to expect so when I went there, there was nothing out of the blue,” he said.

“I knew the nerves would be there, as well, so I expected that, and from there on, just hit it.”

In his first appearance since 2017, Ramsay was disappointed with his iron play as he signed for a 73 while compatriot Graeme Robertson, playing in the group behind, had a rare off day with his driver as he shot 75.