Justin Thomas, making his ninth Open Championship appearance, arrived at Royal Portrush hoping to turn around a string of missed cuts in the majors. Across from him stood Rory McIlroy, back on home soil, returning to the course where a devastating missed cut hurt him in 2019. “Everything is in a really good spot,” Rory said just four days before the competition. However, when the veterans actually took to the course, fans were not enamored by their play but the long 5 hours 54 minutes their group took to complete 18 holes.

McIlroy started with a bogey on the first hole, but that was still an improvement from 2019 when he made an 8 there and missed the cut. He ended the round with four bogeys and five birdies to post an even-par 70, tying for 20th. Thomas, meanwhile, had a tougher time keeping things steady. He had a below-average round, making three bogeys and a double bogey on the 9th, leaving him tied at 45th. Justin has never quite found his footing at The Open. He has missed the cut three times since 2016 and is still chasing his first top-10 finish. Thomas Fleetwood struggled the most among the three, finishing tied at 70th after shooting 2 over. 

While Rory’s group took a long time, they weren’t the only ones affected. Most players experienced delays, especially around the par-5 holes, where they had to wait for the group ahead to clear because the green was reachable in two shots. It impacted their play, as Marc Leishman shared. 

“It felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours. That was tough to deal with, especially coming from somewhere where we play in under four-and-a-half every week,” said the Australian golfer. Paired with the 2009 champion Stewart Cink and Italian Matteo Manassero, he was critical of the issue. “You got to deal with all that sort of stuff, and I felt like I dealt with it decently well. Just got a little frustrated there. I thought I was playing really good and not getting anything out of it, but the conditions were tough. Hopefully, just get a good one going in the morning,” he said after putting 2-over on the scorecard, tying for 70th.

J.J. Spaun, the newly crowned US Open winner, was also warned of slow play yesterday. He was grouped with Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele, and their round dragged out to five and a half hours. On the 17th hole, Spaun took too long for his approach shot and got a warning for slow play. He went over the 50-second limit that players are given. It’s just a warning for now, but if he does it again in Round 2, he’ll get a one-shot penalty. But what caused this slow play? 

The wind picked up later in the day, and rain made things harder. Players had to take their time reading putts, and there weren’t many easy tap-in pars. Moreover, strong winds led to more stray tee shots, with many balls ending up in thick rough. That slowed things down, as players had to spend time looking for their balls. 

But Rory’s group was particularly slow, and it caught fans’ attention. As one of the featured groups, their pace was under the spotlight from the start.

Fans are frustrated with slow play at The Open

One viewer mocked the delay, writing, “I could’ve shot 120, had 4 drinks & be home in that time,” while another added, “Ridiculous to take that long for a round of golf.” The reactions echoed growing frustration among fans who felt the slow play was inexcusable, especially with no weather delays or course issues to blame. For many, it simply looked like a tough opening round where players struggled to find rhythm, and fans weren’t willing to overlook the drag.

One fan took a sharp jab at the slow pace, saying, “At this rate, Tiger could make another comeback before they finish Round 2.” Tiger Woods hasn’t played this season due to injury and remains sidelined.

Another fan added, “This is embarrassing. Yet us amateurs play a round in 4.5hrs that includes a 20min break and countless searching for lost balls. Oh and we play in a fourball!” Drawing a direct comparison between professional play at The Open and the experience of amateur golfers, one fan pointed out how amateurs are faster than the pros. “This can’t go on like this much longer. It’s hard to watch, let alone play.” Slow play has been one of the reasons attributed to the declining viewership.

With Round 1 in the books and criticism still echoing, all eyes now turn to Round 2. Can the pace improve, and players recover and make a good run for the Claret Jug? It remains to be seen.