Storm chasers Lowry and Scheffler rise above mother nature's worst

It was grin-and-bear-it weather during the first morning of the Open, the sort that makes you question why you ever thought a British seaside holiday was a good idea to begin with.

- Andy Bull

The first shower blew in right around the time Scottie Scheffler got to the 1st tee. He had the air of a stubborn parent who had made the mistake of hauling their kids out in the heedless belief that it was going to clear up any minute, and was now determinedly leading them into the local folk museum that had been recommended by the holiday home owners. Scheffler gritted his teeth and got on with it, pretending he was enjoying himself.

"Was there a shot that stood out today for you, that you were really pleased with?" Scheffler was asked after his round. "No," he said.

Scheffler's round was all ups and downs. He made birdies at the 3rd, where he holed an 18ft putt, and the 7th and 10th, but made bogeys at 9th and 11th when both his tee shots blew wide right into the rough. That put him one-under par by the time the weather finally changed, and he was able to pick up a couple more shots with back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th. He finished with a 68, which was a hell of a round in the conditions. It left him a shot off the clubhouse lead, an auspicious position for him, and an ominous one for everyone else. For a man who says he doesn't much care about winning, he is mighty good at it.