The Open 2023: Matthew Jordan revels in experience of a lifetime

The 27-year-old Hoylake professional was given the honour of getting the action under way in the final major of the year at the Wirral links on Thursday.

Backed by a strong local following, Jordan handled the nerves well on the way to shooting a creditable two-under-par 69.

Jordan said: “Amazing – I’m running out of words to describe it. It was crazy, mental, loud, everything that I could have wished for.

“I’m certainly trying to think of a better experience than that, and I don’t think I can.”

Matthew Jordan after finishing his round alongside caddie Chris Simmons (Image: PA)

Jordan, who came through qualifying to secure his place in the field, started well with a birdie at the second before picking up another shot at the fifth.

There were bogeys at the sixth and 11th but they were countered by further birdies on the eighth and 16th.

He said: “Obviously with the occasion and everything going on to start with, I’m really happy, certainly, to break 70. If you do that, you certainly can’t be displeased.”

Jordan was grateful to have such a large backing but excused girlfriend Kate from being able to follow him all the way round, given her job with an on-site broadcasting team.

He said: “To have that level of support and have people want you to do so well, it’s just amazing.

Matthew Jordan putts on the 2nd green (Image: PA)

“Obviously I had family and girlfriend’s parents. Girlfriend was there for the first six, seven holes. She had to work. She didn’t leave me. She didn’t see me make bogey and leave, she had to go and work!

“Then from then on, I saw so many different members. It’s hard to put a number on it, and it’s hard to actually tell you who was there. I just saw them dotted around all the time.

“I just had about three or four moments out there where the emotion kind of took over and I had to smile.”