Zach Johnson didn’t want to give back the Claret Jug earlier this week.
No champion ever does.
But he put up a good number on Thursday at Royal Troon in his bid to defend his title at the 145th Open Championship.
With perfect conditions greeting him and the rest of the mid-afternoon starters, Johnson got off to an incredible start with birdies on three of his first four holes and he went out in 32.
The winner at St. Andrews stood six-under for the day on the 17th tee, looking to post a 65 to get in the group with Patrick Reed and Martin Kaymer who finished at that number earlier in the day.
“Quite honestly, it’s probably what I deserved,” Johnson said after two wayward approach shots at the final two holes doomed him to a bogey-bogey finish for his 67. “I mean I hit two really errant shots coming in. You’re jus trying to eliminate the big, big one. I still had chances to make pars,” he said of the final two holes.
Still, a round in the mid-60s is right where Johnson wanted to be.
He wants the Jug back.
