Two past champions bowed out of The Open on Friday morning at Royal Troon.
Ernie Els, because of a back injury, and John Daly, due to an ailing knee, each withdrew prior to their second-round tee times. Both carded 11-over 82 in the opening round. Els was set to tee off at 7:19 a.m. local time while Daly had an 8:37 a.m. starting time.
Els was coming off three wins in his last five PGA Tour Champions starts, including last week’s Kaulig Companies Championship, the major formerly known as the Senior Players. Els, a two-time Open champ, hasn’t made a weekend at The Open since his T-32 in 2019.
Daly, meanwhile, has missed 10 of 14 Open cuts since his win in 1995. He had missed three straight Opens before playing each of the past three editions.
Romain Langasque was the first WD from this championship, pulling out midway through the eighth hole because of a back injury of his own.