National Sports

British Open: Baldwin hits 'terrifying' opening shot after missing World Cup semi due to early start

Jacob King/PA via AP

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

SOUTHPORT, England (AP) -- Matthew Baldwin had the honor of hitting the opening tee shot of the British Open at Royal Birkdale, where the Englishman has been a member for 23 years after growing up in the area.

It meant needing a 3:30 a.m. alarm.

It also meant missing one of his country's biggest ever soccer matches.

Baldwin said he didn't watch England's agonizing 2-1 loss to Argentina in the men's World Cup semifinals, a match that started at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. He was dozing until waking up 55 minutes into the game and discovering England was leading 1-0. He fell asleep and woke up again around midnight, to be informed by his wife that England lost.

More important to Baldwin was making a good start to his fourth appearance at the Open -- and first at Birkdale.

He said the opening shot -- an iron that split the middle of the parched fairway and was approved by a cheering crowd in a full grandstand under early morning sunshine -- was "terrifying" and "overwhelming."

"But," added Baldwin, who shot 2-over 72, "it's something that will stay with me for the rest of my life."

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf