Overview

• An R&A official clocked Spaun’s approach on the 17th hole at 50 seconds, exceeding the allowed time for the group’s first player and resulting in a “bad time” warning.
• The warning carries over to Friday and a second breach would trigger an automatic one-stroke penalty under the Open’s shot-clock system.
• Spaun’s 2-over 73 left him tied for 85th after the first round, making his path to the cut especially vulnerable if he incurs a penalty.
• Jon Rahm’s caddie, Adam Hayes, confronted the rules official in defense of Spaun, highlighting pushback from players’ camps over strict enforcement.
• Slow-play penalties have been virtually nonexistent in men’s majors since 2013, reflecting a historic shift as the R&A enforces tighter pace-of-play standards than those on the PGA Tour.