5 biggest takeaways from the Open Championship 2023
The Open Championship 2023 ended and with it went the majors until next season. More than 260 days will have to pass for the next major tournament in men's golf.
Overall, The Open Championship lived up to what is expected of a tournament of this category. It had some spectacular performances, amazing scores, disappointments and even a record or two.
What is most memorable always depends on the perspective of the person who lives it. Be it the continuity of Rory McIlroy's drought in majors, Scottie Scheffler's masterful shot out of the bunker or Alex Fitzpattrick's 72-foot putt, it is very difficult to be unanimous about what was most worth remembering.
Here are five great takeaways from The Open Championship 2023:
#1 Brian Harman, the best of the bunch at The Open Championship 2023
Logically, being the champion of The Open Championship makes the lucky player the legend of that edition of the tournament. However, Brian Harman was not the best of the event just for winning it, but for how he did it.
Harman proved that stability in performance is decisive in professional golf. The newly crowned champion started strong with a 4-under 67 on the first day and raised the par with a 6-under 65 on the second day. He did not let up on the moving day (two-under 69) either.
By the fourth round he had a comfortable lead, almost decisive, of five strokes. The English weather decided to play its part in The Open Championship and the rain did not stop all Sunday. Event then, fans witnessed a confident Harman.
The champion carded the fourth best score of the field on Sunday (1-under 70) to take a six-stroke lead. No other player was able to play all four rounds under par.
Brian Harman's lead was the largest since 2000 when Tiger Woods won by eight strokes ahead of Thomas Björn and Ernie Els. It's worth noting that Shane Lowry also won by six strokes in 2019.
#2 Jon Rahm's record round
Jon Rahm is capable of a lot on a golf course. At The Open Championship he went from T89 after the first round to T2 after the fourth. Rahm is just that good.
The Spaniard set one of the most memorable notes of this edition of the tournament, with a third round of eight birdies and zero bogeys. This set the lowest score record for the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, with 63 strokes (-8). It was also Rahm's personal record for a round in majors.
#3 Tom Kim injured
Golf has its heroes, players who leave it all on the course even if they aren't contending.
Tom Kim played The Open Championship with a Grade 1 tear in his right ankle. This didn't stop him from staying competitive, but he eventually finished the first round with a discreet +3 in 89th position (tied).
Kim not only overcame the injury, but managed to string together 68-68-67 to finish a commendable T2.
#4 The Fitzpatrick brothers impress
Although is it not unheard of at The Open Championship, it is always curious to see brothers playing in this prestigious tournament.
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick came to Hoylake in very different situations in their respective sporting careers. While this was the absolute debut in majors for the younger brother, the older one was looking for his second victory in majors.
Alex Fitzpatrick shined in his debut, shooting a 2-under 282 and finishing T17. His 78-foot putt is the seventh longest of the season on the PGA Tour. Matt Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, finished T41 with a 2-over 286.
Their parents had the joy of seeing their two professional golfing sons playing together in the fourth round of a major.
#5 First top 10 finish for Max Homa
Max Homa is both a highly respected player for his quality and well-liked for his attitudes towards fans. It was remarkable that in 10 years of his professional career and 14 participations in majors, his best placing had been T13.
The World No. 8 and winner of six PGA Tour tournaments finished in the top 10 in a major for the first time in his career to the delight of his fans. He posted a 4-under 280, with three of his four rounds under par, at The Open Championship.