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A marshal was hit by two golf balls within an hour during the first round of the Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Bill Davies, who was marshalling at the 16th hole, was initially struck on his leg by Rickie Fowler’s ball and then on the shoulder by South Africa’s former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel’s.

“It hit me on the shoulder and I went down and lay there for a little bit of time, I wasn’t too bad but having two detonating things happening to you within three quarters of hour, then you know, you start worrying,”

“Rickie Fowler was very good about it.” – Bill Davies

Bill, who is the president of the Vicars Cross Golf Club in Chester, is volunteering at the Open told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Vassos Alexander that the players apologised once they realised they had hit him.

“Rickie Fowler was more interested, first thing in the ball, when I was lying on the floor…anyway he was very good about it, he said ‘I’m sorry’.”

Bill was not the only bystander to be hit by an errant shot on the opening day of the Open. Ernie Els struck an elderly man in the face with his very first shot of the championship. A rattled Els proceeded to then triple-bogey the first and go on to card a seven-over 79.

Click here to listen to BBC Radio 5 Live’s interview with the unluckiest marshal at the Open.

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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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