Open Championship 2021 R1
July 15-18
Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent
$11,500,000
Round 2, Round 3, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Louis Oosthuizen got off to a gread start at the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George's, opening with a bogey-free 64, his lowest round in a Major so far this year, to take a one shot lead at 6-under.

Open Championship 2021 R1

"Yeah, probably in my mind the perfect round I could have played. I didn't make many mistakes. When I had good opportunities for birdie, I made the putts. So yeah, just a very good solid round.

"I've learnt over the years playing Major Championships that patience is the key thing and even if you make bogeys, know that a lot of people are going to make bogeys."

Open Championship 2021 R1

Oosthuizen, who won at the Old Course in 2010, has come second twice in Major Championships this year, at the U.S. Open in June and the U.S. PGA Championship in May and is currently second in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

"It gives me confidence going into Majors knowing that I'm still competing in them and I've still got chances of winning," he said.

"But yeah, once the week starts, I need to get that out of my mind and just focus on every round and every shot. But it definitely puts me in a better frame of mind going into the week."

Open Championship 2021 R1

2017 champion Jordan Spieth and Brian Harman are tied for second at 5-under ahead of five players tied at 4-under.

Andy Sullivan, Danny Willett, Jack Senior, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood are among those tied at 3-under.

Rory McIlroy bogeyed four holes and birdied four to sign for a 70 and is T48.

Shane Lowry made five bogeys and shot four birdies for a 71 and is T74.

U.S. PGA champion Phil Mickelson signed for an opening 80, the highest opening round score of his career, after producing nine bogeys and no birdies.

Open Championship 2021 R1