Fresh off John Deere win, Frittelli contending at The Open

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Dylan Frittelli was the last man to qualify for The Open Championship, but he was near the top of the leaderboard after the first round.

He shot a first-round 68 to sit just one shot behind leader Shane Lowry. It was Frittelli’s first sub-par round in this event. He failed to break par in his first two Opens, admitting that he was overcome with nerves in those tournaments.

“At Royal Birkdale, on the first tee, I was so nervous I couldn’t hit the tee shot,” Frittelli said. “I just built the moment up way more than it was. It’s just a golf tournament in the end.

“As you play bigger tournaments, … sooner or later you get used to it and you’re able to play golf in a big moment like this.”

He arrived at Royal Portrush as a PGA TOUR winner after a final-round 64 at TPC Deere Run gave him a two-shot victory over Russell Henley.

Frittelli’s first PGA TOUR win moved him up 106 spots in the FedExCup, to 48th. Instead of fighting for his TOUR card at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky, Frittelli is competing in his third consecutive Open Championship. Some players have to scramble after earning an 11th-hour Open bid, but Frittelli is a world traveler who always carries his passport with him.

He was born and raised in South Africa before coming to the United States to play for the University of Texas. He played four years for the Longhorns, closing his career by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt to win the 2012 NCAA Championship for the Longhorns. His teammates on that squad included future PGA TOUR winners Jordan Spieth and Cody Gribble.

Like Frittelli, Spieth earned his first win at the John Deere Classic. Spieth was 19 when he won at TPC Deere Run. Frittelli is a decade older. He played around the globe, including stints on the Sunshine, Challenge and European tours, before earning his PGA TOUR card at last year’s Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

The TOUR Championship and Presidents Cup team are on his mind instead. Frittelli, who’s from South Africa, moved to 26th in the International Team standings with his win.

A new mindset helped Frittelli turn his rookie season around. He was making a lot of cuts but only had three top-25 finishes. The change came out of a conversation with sports psychologist Dr. Jay Brunza a few weeks ago. Brunza worked with a young Tiger Woods, and Frittelli has worked with him since college.

“I tend to be too analytical. I overanalyze things, get a little too serious,” Frittelli said. “I worked … to become just a playful kid again, have fun. Don’t take a bunch of practice swings. Just see it, feel it, hit it and stay really carefree.”

Frittelli’s previous experience at Royal Portrush – he played the 2012 Irish Open here – also helped. He missed the cut, but that experience helped him make the quick transition after a trans-Atlantic flight. Frittelli walked the course Monday after arriving on the John Deere Classic’s charter flight, then played some holes Tuesday and Wednesday. He hadn’t played Nos. 14-17 until the first round.

“If I hadn't (played the Irish Open), I probably would have pushed myself to play 18 on Tuesday and then 9 or a few holes on Wednesday, which meant I would be more fatigued than I am now,” said Frittelli, who teed off at 8:25 a.m. Thursday.

He could kick his feet up Thursday afternoon after a satisfying start to his first Open as a TOUR winner.