TROON, Scotland (AP) -- The British Open began Thursday with Colin Montgomerie hitting the opening tee shot on the Royal Troon links where his father once was club secretary.
Montgomerie, widely considered the best player to have never won a major, qualified at age 53 for what likely will be his last Open. The R&A chose him to be the first player to hit a shot on a gorgeous morning along the Irish Sea.
There wasn't an empty seat in the grandstand next to the first tee, where the silver claret jug was on a podium.