Reporting from Southport, England — Americans Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka are atop the leaderboard early Thursday at the British Open, both shooting 65 in the opening round at Royal Birkdale.
Both players have won major championships, with Koepka posting a four-stroke victory at this year’s U.S. Open, and Spieth winning the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015.
Koepka shot a 4-under 32 on the back nine at Birkdale, picking up consecutive birdies on holes 11, 12 and 13. He had taken a month off heading into this tournament.
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Jordan Spieth plays out of a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale.
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Branden Grace after completing the 18th hole in the third round of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Birkdale on July 22. Grace shot a 62.
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Brooks Koepka plays out of a bunker on the 7th green during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed putt during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Matt Kuchar misses a birdie putt on the 18th during the third round of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Matt Kuchar is mobbed by fans as he makes his way to the next hole during the third round of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Jordan Spieth of the United States smiles in the rain during the third round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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England’s Ian Poulter looks on from the 14th tee box during the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Jordan Spieth plays out of a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Gary Woodland takes a shot out of the rough on the 10th hole during the third round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar walk to the 14th green during the third round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Brooks Koepka plays out of a bunker on the 7th green during the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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China’s Li Haotong fails to get out of a bunker on the 12th hole during his second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Matt Kuchar hits his second shot on the 3rd hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rules officials help remove a signpost to allow Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland to play on the 15th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Dustin Johnson plays from the rough on the 8th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Spectators watch play on the 10th green as conditions deteriorate during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Australia’s Jason Day, left, and Zach Johnson on the 2nd green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel looks for his ball in the rough on the 5th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks off the 14th tee during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Haotong Li of China hits a bunker shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the 11th green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rickie Fowler hits his tee shot on the 9th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Dustin Johnson hits his tee shot on the 5th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Sergio Garcia of Spain walks on the 1st hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Joost Luiten of the Netherlands falls back into a bunker after missing a putt on the 8th green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Padraig Harrington of Ireland acknowledges the crowd on the 18th hole during the first round of the 146th British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.
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Si Woo Kim of Korea putts on the 12th hole during the first round of the championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.
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Jordan Spieth hits a bunker shot on the 15th hole at Royal Birkdale.
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Matthew Fitzpatrick of England lines up his putt on the 18th green on Thursday.
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Brooks Koepka of the U.S. holes his third shot from the bunker on the 17th hole.
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Jordan Spieth reacts after his approach from the rough on the 5th hole during the first round.
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Tommy Fleetwood of England plays from a bunker on Thursday.
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Ian Poulter of England plays his third shot on the 17th hole.
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France’s Alexander Levy plays his approach shot from the 3rd fairway.
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Spectators get a view of the 9th hole at Royal Birkdale.
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David Horsey of England hits his second shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of the British Open.
(Christian Petersen / Getty Images) “It was just fun to get back playing again,” he said. “It’s something after taking four weeks off, it’s kind of nice to get back inside the ropes and finally get those competitive juices flowing.”
Spieth was consistently excellent, hitting all but three greens — and putting from off the green on one of those — and shooting a 31 and 34.
“Really good start,” Spieth said. “Everything was strong. I thought I give it a nine across the board for everything — tee balls, ball-striking, short game and putting. So things are in check. It’s just about keeping it consistent.”
sam.farmer@latimes.com
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