A rookie rises and Tiger crashes in slow-moving British Open

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) — The Old Course was never faster. The pace of play was never slower.

The celebrated start Thursday of the 150th British Open gave way to Cameron Young making his debut with an 8-under 64 for a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy, and Tiger Woods making what could be his last competitive appearance at St. Andrews a short one.

His score would indicate as much. Woods began his round by hitting out of a divot into the Swilcan Burn for a double bogey. He ended it by taking three putts through the Valley of Sin for a par and a 78, his second-worst score in his Open career.

Woods will try to avoid leaving early from St. Andrews for the second straight time.

“Looks like I’m going to have to shoot 66 tomorrow to have a chance,” Woods said. “Guys did it today. And that’s my responsibility tomorrow is to go ahead and do it — need to do it.”

Young and McIlroy didn't have to contend with as much wind in the morning, though St. Andrews has seen far stronger gusts over its centuries of golf. Throw in the humps and mounds and difficult pin positions, and the Old Course held its own.

“It's the fiddliest Open that I’ve played. It’s the only way I can really describe it,” McIlroy said. “OK, the 18th at Carnoustie was like a runway, that fairway. But around the greens here and just all the slopes and undulations and everything, I think as the tournament progresses, you’re going to get some funny bounces and it’s going to test your patience at times.”

Nothing tested the patience like the constant waiting. By late afternoon, the rounds were taking just over six hours. They waited on the tee and in the fairway, and it didn't help with so many players looking for the best angles to tight pins and playing to the left into other fairways.

“It’s the way the golf course is set up. It’s how firm it is,” U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick said after his 72. “The way the golf course is designed ... to get better angles and better lines, you’ve got to hit across all the fairways. There’s nothing you can do unfortunately about it. It’s just sad more than anything. It’s just ridiculous.”

Good scores were available, and 54 players broke par, 26 of them with rounds in the 60s.

Young was a surprise leader only because it's his first time competing on an Open links. He has had one of the better rookie seasons on the PGA Tour, and the 25-year-old New Yorker is not the least bit daunted by the stage.

Just two months ago, he contended into the final hour of the PGA Championship until finishing one shot out of a playoff.