Jackson Suber, a 26-year-old PGA Tour player in his second year, unexpectedly seized the first-round lead at the 154th British Open on Thursday at Royal Birkdale. Suber posted a 5-under-par 65, a score that put him one shot ahead of Sungjai Im and England's Daniel Brown, who each shot 4-under 66.

Suber's performance is particularly noteworthy given his lack of experience on links courses. He played his first-ever round of links golf only five days prior to the tournament, having completed just 27 holes before the opening round. This marks his first trip to Europe.

He began his impressive round on the back nine, where he birdied holes 10, 11, 14, and 16, before eagling the par-5 17th, finishing with a 31 on the inward nine. "Things just really started going after the birdie on 10," Suber stated. "I just felt like the momentum was really in my favor. Just kind of kept the ball in good spots and didn’t put much pressure on my game to make pars."

Prior to this week, Suber had only competed in two major championships, finishing 73rd as an amateur in 2024 and missing the cut at Shinnecock the previous month. He prepared for Royal Birkdale by watching videos of each hole online. He described his European experience so far as "awesome," enjoying the golf, the towns, and the train system. He and his fiancée recently visited Liverpool with fellow golfer Pierceson Coody and his wife.

Suber acknowledged he is not driving on the left side of the road during his time in the UK, humorously stating, "Because I’m trying to make it here for four days."

His strong performance on Thursday suggests he is well-positioned for the weekend. Suber attributed his current form to consistent play over the last few months, trusting his caddie, and feeling like he is maturing as a golfer and learning what works best for him. He has recently achieved a tie for fourth at the Byron Nelson, another tie for fourth at the Canadian Open, and a sixth-place finish at the John Deere Classic.

Among the notable players who struggled in the first round were Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick, both of whom shot 2-over 72. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is in a more favorable position at 2-under par.