Amateur steals show at Open

SANDWICH, England (AP):

Tom Lewis shares a name with one of the British Open's greatest champions.

The kid sure lived up to it yesterday.

Lewis, a 20-year-old amateur, shot a 5-under 65 to share the lead after the opening round of golf's oldest major - a day that was even more special because he played alongside the man he was named after: five-time Open champion Tom Watson.

"I was more nervous not to embarrass myself in front of him," Lewis said.

"He could be my grandson," quipped the 61-year-old Watson, who needed seven more strokes than his namesake to get around the course. "I just had to smile inside watching him play. I didn't play particularly well myself, but I certainly was impressed by the way he played."

definately impressive

Lewis' late-afternoon charge was definitely impressive, but it didn't totally overshadow an early morning round by Thomas Bjorn, who was playing at this course on the English seaside for the first time since his meltdown in the 2003 Open.

That's when he threw away a two-stroke lead in the final three holes - who can forget him needing three swings just to escape the bunker at No. 16 - and allowed Ben Curtis to snatch away the claret jug with one of the sport's most shocking upsets.

Two very different players. Two hugely compelling stories atop the leaderboard.

"I'm 40 years old," Bjorn said, "and there might just be a little bit more in me."

full advantage

Long after the Dane had completed his round - he was done by lunchtime - an English phenom half his age surged up the board by taking full advantage of the afternoon calm that made this place ripe for the taking.

Lewis posted the lowest round ever for an amateur in the British Open, beating the 66 posted by Frank Stranahan in 1950 and matched by Tiger Woods (1996) and Justin Rose (1998). The youngster also became the first amateur to lead a round at a major since 1976, when Mike Reid was up by three strokes heading to the second day of the US Open.

"We certainly have a new young breed out here, don't we?" Watson marvelled. "We have a lot of young players playing very good golf."

Bjorn has struggled since the death of his father two months ago, breaking down in tears when asked what effect the loss had on him.

"He meant a lot to me," the golfer said. "He would have been very proud of what I did."

Bjorn certainly isn't dwelling on what happened eight years ago, the last time the Open was held just up the road from the cliffs of Dover.

"A lot of people make a lot of things about that, but the only way I can play golf is to concentrate on the shot in front of me," he said. "It never entered my mind."

Bjorn had some good fortune at the 16th this time. He thought his 9-iron was headed for the bunker, but the ball took a fortunate bounce and rolled down toward the cup. He made the putt for his third birdie in a row.

US Open champion Rory McIlroy got off to a sluggish start but was still in the mix, putting up a 71 that left him six strokes back.

no complaints

Considering he played in the morning, when conditions were tougher, McIlroy had no complaints about a round that began with a pair of bogeys on the first three holes.

"It was a day where you just needed to grind out a score," McIlroy said. "Anywhere around even par was a good start."

In the afternoon, the gusting breezes off the Strait of Dover died down and the rain held off, resulting in about twice as many rounds in the 60s as the morning starters put up.

But there were plenty of red numbers all over the board. Lucas Glover, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Webb Simpson were just one stroke off the lead. Eight players shot 68, ranging from major winners Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer to alternates Ricky Barnes and Simon Dyson.

Heck, Bjorn was an alternate, getting in only one day of practice after learning Monday night he had a spot because of Vijay Singh's withdrawal. The group at 68 also included Kyle Stanley, who hustled over on an overnight flight for his first Open after qualifying Sunday with a runner-up finish in the John Deere Classic.