“St. Andrews might be the course that requires feel and touch the most. Tiger hasn’t had the reps necessary at this point to understand what his feels are.” – Arron Oberholser on Tiger Woods on Peacock
“I see so many things coming together…I just feel that the golfing gods have got something good in store for Rory McIlroy.” – Paul McGinley on Live From The Open on GOLF Channel and Peacock
“He has never putted better in his career. His game is better than it was going into the 2015 Open Championship.” – Brandel Chamblee on McIlroy
“The course conditions are just crazy firm. I have never seen anything like this before in my life.” – Scottie Scheffler to Kathryn Tappen on USA Network
STAMFORD, Conn. – July 14, 2022 – NBC Sports presented exclusive first-round coverage of the 150th Open Championship from The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland across USA Network and Peacock, capped by Live From the U.S. Open on GOLF Channel and Peacock.
Exclusive second-round coverage begins tomorrow at 1:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and continues at 4 a.m. ET on USA Network.
150th Open Championship – First Round Leaderboard
| Player | Total |
| Cameron Young | -8 |
| Rory McIlroy | -6 |
| Cameron Smith | -5 |
| Robert Dinwiddie | -5 |
*Eight players tied at -4 including Dustin Johnson and Scottie Scheffler
Friday-Sunday Coverage Schedule
| Date | Peacock | USA Network | NBC/Peacock |
| Friday, July 15 | *1:30-4 a.m./3-4 p.m. | 4 a.m. – 3 p.m. | |
| Saturday, July 16 | 5-7 a.m. | 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. | |
| Sunday, July 17 | 4-7 a.m. | 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
*Coverage will begin shortly before the first scheduled tee time at 1:30 a.m. ET
ON RORY MCILROY (2nd, 6-under)
Paul McGinley on Live From on GOLF Channel and Peacock: “I see so many things coming together…we know how good his long game is. I see the focus in his concentration levels. I love the additions of Bob Rotella and Brad Faxon to his team…there’s a flow to what he’s doing in his short game that matches his instincts in his long game…I’m also a believer in destiny. I’m a believer in spirituality…I just feel that the golfing gods have got something good in store for Rory McIlroy.”
Brandel Chamblee on Live From on GOLF Channel and Peacock: “When I look at the nature of his game and the nature of this golf course…he has never putted better in his career…consider the work that he’s come around with in his golf swing. He’s never been better and around the greens…you put those two together and you get the guy who was winning majors in 2012 and 2014…his game is better than it was going into the 2015 Open Championship.”
McIlroy to Cara Banks on if his opening round 66 was as good a start as he could have hoped for on USA Network: “Yeah…I got off to a perfect start with the putt at the first and reeling off a few birdies on the front nine. That’s sort of what you need to do here at St. Andrews – you make your score going out and then it gets a little trickier coming back in. But with it being downwind the last few holes, you still have some chances. But overall, really, really happy. That’s the last three majors the way I’ve started really, really well. I just need to keep it going.”
Nick Faldo on USA Network: “He came in with an awful lot on his shoulders. I think personally, he knows this is a very special place and he would absolutely love to end his dry spell in majors right here in St. Andrews.”
ON TIGER WOODS (T-146th, 6-over)
Arron Oberholser on Peacock: “One of the things he’s lacking right now are the reps. Of the courses in the world that require so much feel and touch – and reps to gain that feel and touch – St. Andrews might be the course that requires it the most. (Tiger) hasn’t had the reps necessary at this point to understand what his feels are. He’ll tell you it’s potentially the most feel-oriented course in the world.”
Notah Begay III on Woods’ shot from the fairway on the first hole in a divot into the Swilcan Burn on USA Network: “That is one bad break, fellas.”
Terry Gannon on USA Network: “That is a shock to the system. Just taking that in…you think back to 2000, never being in a bunker…and then that break off the opening tee…after all of the preparation, all he’s gone through.”
Justin Leonard on his approach shot on the 10th hole on USA Network: “That’s what we’ve been expecting there from Tiger Woods. You know that all of these fans want to give him all of the support and lift him up on his shoulders.”
Leonard on Woods playing at St. Andrews on USA Network: “I noticed before he teed off, he was soaking it in. And that’s something I don’t know that we’ve always seen Tiger do. I think he always kind of gets in game mode and it’s just all about him and the game, and I think he’s really relishing the opportunity – the fact that he is here, healthy enough to compete and wants to take it all in.”
ON CAMERON YOUNG (Leader, 8-under)
Young with Banks after his first-round 64 on USA Network: “I didn’t hit them all that well, but I think we picked tee shots that were smart and kept a lot of the bunkers out of play. I made a lot of putts early which set the tone for the day. All of those things added up to it not feeling too hard out there, even though I know it could be impossible for me tomorrow.”
Gannon: “Cameron’s parents are here. His dad said it costs a mortgage payment for a house in town this week, ‘but there was absolutely no way we were going to miss it.’”
Chamblee on Live From on GOLF Channel and Peacock: “It’s a new golf swing. I would say he’s the poster child for this generation in understanding where power comes from. At impact he looks like Barry Bonds…a tremendous driver of the golf ball, only Jon Rahm is better this year.”
ON ST. ANDREWS
Scottie Scheffler to Kathryn Tappen on course conditions on USA Network: “The course conditions are just crazy firm. I have never seen anything like this before in my life.”
Chamblee on Live From The Open on GOLF Channel and Peacock: “I don’t think there’s any way to check this, but I’m pretty sure this is the most greens hit under regulation in a round of a major championship. I don’t know when I last saw so many guys putting for eagles. But in spite of that, I think the golf course held up remarkably well. Sneaking up on almost one shot over par.”
McGinley on Live From The Open on GOLF Channel and Peacock: “The R&A went out of their way to hide these pins. They were very difficult pin positions. They took them left, behind bunkers and behind slopes…I think 12 of the greens, they picked the most difficult spot. Can they keep that standard of difficulty up for four days?...the R&A have to keep their game up with the difficult pin positions because the course is playing so short. I’ve never seen a links course of this standard play so short.”
--NBC SPORTS--