Crowe Relishing ‘Awesome’ Royal Liverpool Experience

Hoylake, Liverpool, England: A closing double-bogey seven may have taken the gloss off Harrison Crowe’s opening-round performance at the 151st Open Championship, but it’s an experience he’ll never forget.

“It was awesome. A few nerves on the first tee but they quickly settled, so it was a good day out there. Shame the golf didn’t reflect, but it was great,” said the Australian after signing for a five-over-par 77 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Courtesy of his victory at last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) in Thailand, Crowe secured an invite to April’s Masters Tournament as well as an exemption to The Open.

Although he missed the cut at Augusta National and is in danger of making an early exit here, Crowe has loved every minute.

“It’s a lot more of a boisterous crowd for sure,” he said, referring to the galleries at Hoylake in comparison with the patrons at Augusta.

“I know walking past all the food, past 15, where there’s a big gathering, it’s pretty loud. It’s awesome when you get to be inside the ropes playing at an event like this.

“The Open has always been an event I’ve wanted to play and win growing up. To be inside the ropes this week, it’s awesome.”

While he’d love to progress to the weekend, he’s more concentrated on simply playing to the best of his ability.

“I’m not too focused on the cut. It’s just enjoying and trying to get the most out of my week and play some good golf and the rest will take care of itself. There’s a long way to go and it’s not the best start that I’ve asked for, but we’ll be okay,” he said.

Crowe is one of four AAC winners in the starting line-up at Royal Liverpool, along with the Japanese trio of Hideki Matsuyama, Keita Nakajima and Takumi Kanaya.

All three made encouraging starts as they seek to become the first player from their country – and Asia – to win the Claret Jug.

Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters Tournament winner, carded a one-under-par 70, while Nakajima posted a 72 and Kanaya a 73.

But it was a tough day for Hong Kong's Taichi Kho, beaten in a sudden-death play-off at the 2021 AAC in Dubai.

Kho needed a par at the last for a round of 78 but ran up a quintuple-bogey 10 to sign for an 83.