Gerina Piller fires 63 to take lead in LPGA's Marathon ClassicFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment7:16 PM ETAssociated Press FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSYLVANIA, Ohio — Gerina Piller shot an 8-under 63 on Thursday in the Marathon Classic to take a one-stroke lead over U.S. Women's Open champion Sung Hyun Park and Peiyun Chien.
Winless on the LPGA Tour, Piller had nine birdies and a bogey in the first round at Highland Meadows. The American birdied the first three holes and four of the first five.
“Got off to a good start and got the putts rolling,” Piller said. “To be honest, my ball-striking didn't feel as great coming into this weekend, and the week after a major it's always tough just because you're so exhausted mentally. I just went out there and really trusted what I had and just brought it together. My game feels really good right now.”
Park, the South Korean player who won her first major title last week at Trump..
2017 British Open: The winners & losers from Day 1 at Royal Birkdale
2017 British Open: The winners and losers from Day 1 of the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
British Open 2017: Matt Kuchar, known for consistency, admits, ‘I should have won more often’
British Open 2017: Matt Kuchar, known for consistency, admits, 'I should have won more often'
How McIlroy recovered from disastrous start
How a pep talk helped Rory McIlroy overcome disastrous front nineplayMcIlroy: I'd back myself to win The Open (0:32)Rory McIlroy believes it's a good time to back him to win The Open, after bookies rated his chances of victory at 20-1. (0:32)
FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment5:40 PM ETJason SobelESPN Senior Writer Close Covered golf since 2004
Former writer at Golf Channel
Winner of four Emmys while at ESPNFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — Rory McIlroy had no confidence. He was nervous, even a bit timid. He admitted it later — that he started his opening round of The Open Championship unsure of himself and unsure of his game. After missing the cut in three of his past four starts, maybe that was to be expected.
He bogeyed the opening hole — hardly a sin, considering how difficult it played Thursday — then received an earful from caddie J.P. Fitzgerald on the second tee.
“You're Rory McIlroy,” Fitzgerald told..
ICYMI at The Open — Thomas’ outfit steals show
ICYMI at the The Open: All tied up with Justin ThomasStuart Franklin/Getty ImagesFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmail6:15 PM ETSteven Saunders & Matt CooperFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintSOUTHPORT, England — A shot had not even been struck in anger at The Open on Thursday morning before a buzz started making its way around Royal Birkdale.
“Have you seen what Justin Thomas is wearing?”
Thomas had taken to Twitter to unveil his outfit for Thursday's play which, it's fair to say, set tongues wagging and divided opinion in the golfing community.
.@RalphLauren has outdone themselves this week! Loving the classic Open look with the tie and cardigan on Thursday 👌🏽 #pologolf pic.twitter.com/kHmozyx3s0
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) July 17, 2017
Thomas explained that he had gone to his sponsors to see what could be done that would be special, and that it was only The Open that he felt gave him the freedom to wear something out of the ordinary. He also expla..
Casey leads strong British showing at Birkdale
Paul Casey leads strong British showing in first round at BirkdalePaul Casey shares a joke with caddie Johnnie McLaren on his way to a 4-under 66 in the first round at Royal Birkdale. Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty ImagesFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment5:13 PM ETLeo SpallUK Correspondent Close• Formerly ESPN.co.uk deputy editor
• Worked with ESPN since 2014
• Reported and edited for newspapers including the Daily Mail, The Telegraph and The Independent
• Follow him on Twitter @LeoSpallESPN
FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England – There cannot have been many golfers at Royal Birkdale happier with their lot than Paul Casey after the first round of The Open.
Never mind that there were a few names above the Briton's on the leaderboard, he was justly satisfied with a 4-under 66, and that was not all. As he prepared to reach the middle-age landmark birthday of 40 on Friday, there seemed little in his life that wasn't spot on.
“I..
Rested Koepka straight back in major contention
Rested, not rusty, Koepka goes straight back into major contentionFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment1:01 PM ETBob HarigESPN Senior Writer Close Senior golf writer for ESPN.com
Covered golf for more than 20 years
Earned Evans Scholarship to attend Indiana UniversityFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — Brooks Koepka isn't giving up much. After all, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But one thing the U.S. Open champion acknowledged was his golf clubs did not travel to Sin City in the aftermath of his triumph last month at Erin Hills.
Aside from one round with his manager and another day for a photo shoot, Koepka did not pick up a golf club in the aftermath of his victory until arriving in England last Friday.
So much for the need to knock off competitive rust and keep the game sharp.
Editor's PicksThe Open tournament schedule, scores and coverageGet dates, TV schedule, news coverage, live scores and results on ESPN fo..
British Open 2017: Jason Day’s Air Jordan golf shoes are creating major buzz
Jason Day is wearing Air Jordan golf shoes
Caddie Confidential: What makes Open unique
Caddie Confidential: What makes The Open, Royal Birkdale uniqueplayThe subtle difference between a draw and fade off the tee (1:57)Tony Finau steps into the ESPN Sport Science lab to show the difference between hitting the two drives. (1:57)
FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment4:51 PM ETMichael CollinsESPN Senior Writer Close Senior writer/video talent for ESPN.com
Worked for several players as PGA Tour caddie
Former stand-up comedianFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — Mother Nature dropped her fury on the course Wednesday, leaving you and me standing in the cold with no rain gear and no Caddie Confidential.
But we were not dissuaded Thursday, thanks to a very nice caddie who had to go back to work for a bit after we started talking but came back to finish our chat. Ready to hear the truth about Royal Birkdale and the first-round setup? The promise of anonymity to my caddie friends means you always know you get the truth. Enjoy Ca..
Els in best shape for years at The Open
Ernie Els in best shape in years for a major challenge at The OpenErnie Els waves to the crowd as he walks up the 18th hole during the first round at The Open, where he carded a 68 to sit three shots off the lead. Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment3:43 PM ETLeo SpallUK Correspondent Close• Formerly ESPN.co.uk deputy editor
• Worked with ESPN since 2014
• Reported and edited for newspapers including the Daily Mail, The Telegraph and The Independent
• Follow him on Twitter @LeoSpallESPN
FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England – Ernie Els is too long in the tooth to get carried away after the first round of an Open Championship but he says he's feeling better than he has at this major in years.
The 47-year-old has missed two Open cuts since he won at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2012, and his best finish since was T25 four years ago.
Els' 2-under 68 on Thursday put him three shots behind first-round le..