British Open has All-American start

Brooks Koepka of the United States plays out of a bunker on the 18th hole Thursday during the first round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

SOUTHPORT, England — The wind off the Irish Sea pushed away the rain clouds and bathed Royal Birkdale in sunshine, Stars and Stripes.

The British Open began Thursday with an AllAmerican flavor.

Jordan Spieth, chomping away on gum as he watched one putt after another pour into the center of the cup, worked some bunker magic of his own late in the round to keep his card filled only with birdies and pars for a 5-under 65.

U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, with no competition and barely any practice since capturing his first major a month ago, ran off three straight birdies and holed a tough shot from a pot bunker for eagle on the par-5 17th hole for a 5-under 65.

Joining them was Matt Kuchar, who first endeared himself to these British fans as a 19-yearold amateur in 1998 at Royal Birkdale. Kuchar tied the course record with a 29 on the front nine, only to fall into a routine of pars the rest of the way. He still shot 65, his best score ever in a major.

They had a one-shot lead over Paul Casey and

British Open At Royal Birkdale Golf Club

Southport, England Purse: $10.25 million Yardage: 7,156; Par: 70 (34-36)

First Round Jordan Spieth 31-34—65 Brooks Koepka 33-32—65 Matt Kuchar 29-36—65 Paul Casey 31-35—66 Charl Schwartzel 34-32—66 Ian Poulter 32-35—67 Justin Thomas 33-34—67 Richard Bland 34-33—67 Austin Connelly 33-34—67 Charley Hoffman 31-36—67 Rafa Cabrera Bello 32-35—67 Stuart Manley 34-34—68 Alex Noren 34-34—68 Hideki Matsuyama 33-35—68 James Hahn 33-35—68 Sung Kang 35-33—68 Martin Laird 34-34—68 Ernie Els 33-35—68 David Lipsky 32-36—68 Joost Luiten 34-34—68 Richie Ramsay 33-35—68 Daniel Berger 35-33—68 Bubba Watson 33-35—68 Kevin Na 31-37—68 Kent Bulle 34-34—68 Matthew Fitzpatrick 35-34—69 Thomas Pieters 37-32—69 Henrik Stenson 33-36—69 Robert Streb 33-36—69 Andrew Johnston 35-34—69 Bernd Wiesberger 35-34—69 Aaron Baddeley 33-36—69 Jason Day 34-35—69 Adam Scott 32-37—69 Jon Rahm 35-34—69

Charl Schwartzel on a day that started nasty and ended with 39 players breaking par. The biggest question after a long day on the links was what was in store for today, when high wind and occasional Alastair Grant / The Associated Press showers were in the forecast.

“I thought today’s round was extremely important, as they all are,” Spieth said, atop the leaderboard at a major for the first time since last year’s Masters. “But given the forecast coming in, I thought you really needed to be in the red today. You can certainly make up ground in a round tomorrow, and we’ll see it happen. But being able to kind of play with shots, or play a little more conservative because you don’t try to do too much on a day like tomorrow, that’s nice and very helpful.”

Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy fall into that category.

Johnson, the No. 1 player who hasn’t played the weekend at a major since the British Open last year, managed only one birdie on a decent day for scoring and shot 71. McIlroy also shot 71 and was relieved. Coming off three missed cuts in his last four events, he was 5 over through six holes when his caddie gave him a pep talk. McIlroy closed with three birdies over the last four holes to stay in the game.

Phil Mickelson failed to make a birdie, the first time that has happened in a major in five years, and shot 73.