British Open scores 2017: Jordan Spieth, Matt Kuchar, and Brooks Koepka lead after Day 1

At the end of the first day at Royal Birkdale, Americans Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, and Matt Kuchar are tied for the lead at the Open Championship, each at 5-under 65. Paul Casey and Charl Schwartzel follow a stroke behind.

Spieth entered the Open tabbed as co-favorite, along with U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson. However Johnson had a rather uneventful round, following a birdie on the second hole with bogeys on the seventh and 14th to finish at 1-over 71, good for T58.

Ulsterman Rory McIlroy opened the day on a horrible note, bogeying five of his first six holes, but he finished up with four birdies on the back nine for 1-over, as well. He might have been helped by the, er, pep talk, by his caddie, J.P. Fitzgerald.

On the sixth tee, Fitzgerald voiced what everyone else may have been thinking (via Golf Channel): “You’re Rory McIlroy. What the f--- are you doing?”

Then again, McIlroy may have needed the reminder after missing his last two cuts and three of his last four.

It was Spieth, though, who put on a clinic. He finished the day without a bogey, sinking three birdies on the front nine and adding two more on the back. He hit 83 percent of his greens in regulation to make his day a bit easier.

Koepka made the turn at 1-over himself, birdied the 11th through 13th holes before finally recording a bogey on the 16th. He didn’t take long to make up for it, sinking an eagle on the 17th to get back to 5-under for the day.

Kuchar also put up a bogeyless first round in sharing the lead. He scorched the front nine for 5-under before putting up par on every hole after the turn.

Also of note was the round by Spaniard Jon Rahm. He shot 1-under 69, following the decision to rescind a two-stroke penalty he drew on the 17th hole when he adjusted a plant. Officials decided it did not affect his lie so should therefore not constitute a rules violation. He, too, sits at T26.