When the conversation turns to the best players in the world without a major championship, Jimmy Walker comes early in the conversation.
Walker began his British Open warm up Thursday at the Scottish Open with a five-under par 65 that put him just two shots off the lead of Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, who opened with a nifty seven-under par 63 at Gullane Golf Club.
Right behind Walker came Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar. Fowler is trying to reverse his fortunes. He hasn’t played well since winning the TPC in May, he’s missed his last two cuts. He finished his round with birdies at three of the final four holes to set his number.
Kuchar helped himself at the par five 16th. His second shot from 277 yards out stopped just three feet from the hole and he made the short eagle putt.
Ryan Palmer was in with 67, Peter Uihlein 68.
Phil Mickelson got off to a lackluster start with bogeys at the third and fourth holes. He came back a bit but a three-putt bogey at the 17th got him in at 69 and tied for 52nd.
