Matthew Baldwin makes a strong start at The Open at Royal Birkdale after missing England’s men’s World Cup semifinal because of the match’s early start time. Baldwin, who has been associated with Royal Birkdale for much of his life, takes the honor of hitting the first tee shot of the championship. He says he does not watch England’s 2–1 loss to Argentina in the semifinal, which begins at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and instead focuses on his own preparation for the tournament. The opening shot becomes a notable moment for Baldwin, who is appearing in his fourth Open and first at Birkdale. In his first round, he shoots 2 over par 72. While he acknowledges the experience of missing the match, he indicates the opening-tee moment is something that remains with him, describing it as “terrifying.” The reports consistently place Baldwin’s opening-shot role and first-round score in the same context of the World Cup timing and his first appearance at Birkdale.