The Open Diary: Bacon, sausages and maths with Monty

Royal Troon was bathed in sunshine for the first round of The Open and there was plenty more besides Phil Mickelson's stunning 63.

Published : Jul 15, 2016 01:43 IST , Royal Troon

Colin Montgomerie had the honour of teeing off the tournament, but it did come with a downside.
Colin Montgomerie had the honour of teeing off the tournament, but it did come with a downside.
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Colin Montgomerie had the honour of teeing off the tournament, but it did come with a downside.

Royal Troon was bathed in sunshine for the first round of The Open and there was plenty more besides Phil Mickelson's stunning 63.

It was a glorious day in South Ayrshire as the 145th Open Championship started with a bang courtesy of Mickelson's close brush with history.

But away from the spotlight there were doppelgangers, tempting aromas and too much food for one plate.

For all that and more, check out Thursday's edition of the Open daily diary. 

DOUBLE MAC AND TEES

There was a very passable Rory McIlroy look-alike mingling among the crowds along the first fairway in the morning.

He was sufficiently convincing to attract a few selfie opportunities, but it never seemed to occur to his open-mouthed admirers that the real Rory was about to step up to the first tee.

The guy is good, but he's not magic. 

BRING HOME THE BACON

Colin Montgomerie had the honour of teeing off the tournament, but it did come with a downside.

The Scot's early start meant he skipped breakfast, but he conceded to feeling a few hunger pangs when a whiff of bacon drifted across the course at the seventh hole.

It would have gone well with the roll he was on across the front nine, too. 

MATHS WITH MONTY

Monty's self-enforced fasting did nothing to blunt his maths skills, though.

In a cheery post-round mixed-zone chat, the 53-year-old was asked about his double-bogey six at the first, where he landed an awful lie in a greenside bunker.

He took two shots to get out and described the second as one of the best of his life, prompting the remark: "A good double, then?"

"Yes," he replied. "If there is such a thing. Because, let me tell you, a six always, always beats a seven." 

HOW ABOUT FRAT?

Surprise contender and Open debutant Justin Thomas offered the lowdown on his living arrangements while in Scotland.

He's sharing a house with fellow Americans Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker.

To prepare for golf's oldest major, they spent three hours playing in the garden on Wednesday.

"It's like a frat house," he said. 

BACK-NINE PUNISHMENT

Many of the players spoke of how much more difficult the back nine was in comparison to the outward-bound half.

If you needed any evidence of that besides their testimony, then amateur Scott Gregory's scorecard should convince you.

He went out with a three-under par 33, but took another 45 shots to get home – and that included two birdies! 

SAUSAGES

Days at The Open are long for workers who turn up at the crack of dawn and leave long after the final putt has been sunk.

So you shouldn't be too harsh in judging the member of security staff who set himself up for the day with a breakfast consisting of five sausages and a massive pile of scrambled egg.

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