“I didn’t really have a target in my head, I was more nervous about making sure I made the first tee shot and not messing up early.â€
By his own admission, Tom Lewis’ aim when he started his first round of The 140th Open at Royal St George’s was to not embarrass himself.
Lining up alongside eight-time major winner Tom Watson will have done nothing for his nerves, with the 20-year-old having more reason than most to be awestruck by his illustrious playing partner, as he was named after the great man by his dad.
And as the two Toms set off at Sandwich on that Thursday, few would have thought it was the junior of the two who would return to the clubhouse as a record-breaker later in the day.
With a first-round 65, Lewis brushed Tiger Woods and Justin Rose aside, as he eclipsed the two of them with the best score for an amateur at The Open.
With a number of big names falling by the wayside in treacherous conditions in Kent, Lewis seemed to be playing in a world of his own for 18 holes, with his delicacy on the greens helping him shoot up the leaderboard.
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The R&A