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SOUTHPORT, England — Surely you had Jackson Suber on your betting card as the first-round leader of the 154th British Open on Thursday at Royal Birkdale.
No?
Well, that’s your outright leader entering Friday’s second round after he posted a 5-under-par 65 on the browned-out, baked-out, scorched earth of Birkdale, where it hasn’t rained in ages with no moisture in the forecast for the rest of this week.
Suber stands one shot ahead of Sungjai Im and England’s Daniel Brown, who shot 4-under 66s, and a long list of players at 3-under, including Cam Young, Bryson DeChambeau, Ryan Gerard, Robert McIntyre and Francesco Molinari.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has struggled with some opening rounds this year, is in good position at 2-under.
Meanwhile, some of the pre-tournament favorites struggled, including Rory McIlroy, who shot 2-over 72 and Matt Fitzpatrick (72).
Suber jump-started his round on the back nine after shooting an even-par 34 on the front.
He birdied Nos. 10, 11, 14 and 16 and eagled the par-5 17th to close in 31.
“Things just really started going after the birdie on 10,’’ Suber said. “I just felt like the momentum was really in my favor. Just kind of kept the ball in good spots and didn’t put much pressure on my game to make pars.’’
Suber, 26 and in his second year on the PGA Tour, came to the tournament having never played a round of links golf in his life.
“This is my fifth day here,’’ he said. “Monday was my first round of links golf, so I’ve played 27 holes before I played the first round today. I’ve never been to Europe.’’
Suber, who’d played in only two major championships before this week (a 73rd-place finish in 2024 as an amateur and a missed cut last month at Shinnecock), said he watched a YouTube video of every hole at Birkdale last week to prepare.
He called his European experience so far “awesome,’’ saying, “The golf is really cool and just the towns, how the train system works. We went into Liverpool the other day with my fiancée and Pierceson Coody and his wife, so that was really cool to see a European city and enjoy that.’’
Asked whether he’s driving on the left side of the road, Suber said, “No.’’
Why not?
“Because I’m trying to make it here for four days,’’ he said.
The way he played Thursday, it’ll take a very bad second round Friday to keep him off the tee sheet for the weekend.
Asked where this round came from, Suber said, “I’ve just been playing good the last few months and just knowing that good golf is going to take care of everything, and really trusting my caddie to figure out where we’re going to hit it.’’
Indeed, Suber had a tie for fourth at the Byron Nelson, another tie for fourth at the Canadian Open and he finished tied for sixth at the John Deere two weeks ago.
His plan for the rest of the week?
“Just keep being patient and keep being disciplined and knowing that you can get in spots where bogey is a great score and taking that and just moving on,’’ Suber said. “I’ve been hitting the driver well, and I feel like I’m a good iron player. Just a lot of long irons into these holes. I think that suits my eye.’’
While you may not have been paying attention, Suber said he’s felt form like this coming on this year, saying, “I feel like I’ve been really coming into myself as a golfer and maturing and learning what works for me.’’
Whatever he was doing Thursday worked just fine.
Rinse and repeat on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and he will become one of the unlikeliest players ever to lift the Claret Jug in triumph by Sunday evening.
English (US)