British Open 2011 Results: 15 Biggest Round 1 Surprises

Old Tom Morris is smiling somewhere.  

Round 1 at a Major is always wrought with some interesting spellbinding tales. Today was no different. And, Harry Potter doesn't hit the big screen for a few more hours.

There was a player hitting a sand shot left-handed, a hole-in-one by an American, older players drinking fountain-of-youth serum and then there was simply—the youth.

One of the leaders looks like he is 15 years old, maybe reading comic books, then rolling out of his bunk and swatting at the white pellet for five hours with Tom Watson. The result was a five-under-par 65. His name is Tom Lewis—named after, you guessed it, Tom Watson.

And, he's a 20-year-old. And, an amateur.

The last time that happened was with a kid named Justin Rose and Tiger something.

Some of the shocking sights were shots—others were in the fashion department.

Was that a lid on Padraig Harrington's head?  

Like some of the bounces off the Royal St. George's fairway, this thing could go a number of different directions. Nonetheless, as we have come to expect, anything goes in the Open Championship.

Sandwich, please.

Then, there is Thomas Bjorn, who Royal St. George's—and Sandwich for that matter—spit out in 2003. Oh, he led for 70-holes in 2003. He had the Claret Jug engraver getting his hot-needle ready to etch a "T" on the Claret Jug when he failed to escape a green-side bunker on 16.

This year, he was an alternate—four deep before the championship began. All he did was card a 65, and it could have, should have, would have been a 63.

Another alternate making the most of his chances was Simon Dyson. Dyson had to wait to learn his fate before he could get his clubs from his auto on Tuesday. Paired in the same group with Bjorn, Dyson put together a two-under-round 68.

The leaderboard is crowded with red numbers. And then there is a trio of experienced American players at even par. Names we are familiar with: Davis Love III, Justin Leonard and Phil Mickelson. 

Grab some chips...

15. Ivor Robson: Stands for 10-Straight Hours

Give the man a break.  

Literally, give the man a break.  

Ivor Robson opened his 36th-consecutive Open Championship where he always hangs—at the first tee. He spent 10-straight hours in the wind, then the rain, introducing every group.  

He is the iron man, the Cal Ripken, of championship starters. His ability to not take a single break all day is shocking and among the most amazing aspects of Round 1 at the Open Championship.

14. Ryan Moore: The Belichick-Hooded Sweatshirt

Moore decided to don a Bill Belichick-like hooded sweatshirt on the cold, windy day at Sandwich.  

The result was an impressive one-under-par round. He was a USA hopeful not on the radar.  

Moore practiced his links strategy at Chambers Bay, in his native state of Washington, before venturing to the Open Championship.

His opening round 69 leaves him in solid contention and he will play later in the day in Round 2.

13: Miguel Angel Jimenez: 47-Year-Old Wizard Shoots 66

He loves his links-style golf and cigars—not necessarily in that order. His golf was on full regalia display Thursday, boasting an opening round 67. Jimenez likes his cigars, and is never afraid to take naps on the putting green.

Nevertheless, he put together a solid round. Royal St. George's is built for his calm demeanor. As perfectly struck tee-balls repel to less than friendly lies, the affable Jimenez stays the course with a carefree attitude.

12: Bunkers Around the Par-3 6th: YIKES!

Are those bunkers, craters or black holes? Ask Aaron Baddeley or a number of players that had difficulty managing the green-side wastelands.

11. 14th Hole White Soldiers

Out-of-bounds is clearly marked along the right side of the 14th hole at Royal St. George's. It is a bit of an overstatement when the R&A decides to put the markers 10 feet from one another.

This is a case of over-zealous course marking, commonly referred to as white soldiers. Two strokes, no matter what they're called.

11. Aaron Baddeley Hits Bunk Shot Left-Handed

Aaron Baddeley struggled in his round, and on the par-three 6th he had to resort to some creative shot making.  

Not being able to gain a stance from his normal right-handed position, Baddeley spun the blade of his sand wedge and resorted to a swat left-handed.  

The ball did advance, but not out of the bunker.

10. Rory Shoots 71

Expectations for Rory Mcllroy are high. He received a bigger reception at the first tee than both Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.

It took him awhile to get warmed up. He bogeyed two of the first four holes, and missed some makeable putts. 

Round 2 will be interesting for the 22-year-old boy-wonder.

9. Padraig Harrington's Headwear

The usual conservatively-dressed Paddy was sporting a derby-type cap. The two-time Open champion rocked the derby and finished with an opening round 73.

8. Dustin Johnson Hole-in-1 on 16

The wind was up and the weather was tough to navigate.  

Not a problem for Dustin Johnson, who had no trouble navigating the 16th hole.  

His iron shot on the shortest hole at Royal St. George's landed in the cup for an ace.

7. Alternates Take Advantage of Chance

Simon Dyson, Ricky Barnes and Thomas Bjorn were alternates last weekend. They made it into the Open Championship by way of some players that withdrew earlier in the week.  

Bjorn finished tied for first; Barnes and Dyson were tied for sixth at two-under par.

6. Webb Simpson

He went to Wake Forest on the Arnold Palmer Scholarship and he played like Arnie on Thursday.

Webb Simpson has had an incredibly solid 2011 and he continued his ball-striking finesse at Sandwich with a four-under-par 66.  

5. Red Number Party

After the US Open was a birdie-fest, surely the R&A would make sure that the Open Championship would be a par-hugging Sandwich picnic.  

Not so fast.  

The red numbers on Day 1 were everywhere and by everybody.  

Consider this: Lucas Glover, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Webb Simpson were just one stroke off the lead. Eight players shot 68—Major champions like Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer to alternates Ricky Barnes and Simon Dyson.

4. 263rd Ranked Mark Calcavecchia

At age 51, the 1993 Champion looked like a contender early in Round 1. He had only played five holes in practice because of the gale-force winds, but he did not look rusty.  

He let a few strokes slip away on the back-nine, closing with a one-under-par 69 after a bogey on 18. Ranked 263rd in the world, Calcavecchia traveled from Pebble Beach to Sandwich and made it to the Open Championship late Tuesday.  

His wife showed up to caddie—and so did his game.

3. 1-over-Par Sandwichers

Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Jason Day, Rory Mcllroy and Charl Schwartzel are all at one-over par.  

All players were picked as favorites to start the championship. It will be interesting to see which players from this pack make a second-round move—or a move in the other direction.

2. Sergio's Putting

Something was in Sergio Garcia's sandwich: A putting stroke.  

The Spaniard honored the late Seve Ballesteros with some ole on the greens in the first round.

Will it continue? Or, will it come crashing out of red numbers? 

At even par (70), the fact that Sergio is still in play is a surprise.

1. Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Lewis

Old Tom Morris would be proud.  

The leaderboard after Round 1 has a 40-year-old Dane named Thomas Bjorn and a 20-year-old Englishman named Tom Lewis at the top.

It was a good day weather-wise at the Open Championship, leading to low scores. The result is a two-way tie at the top at five-under par.