Tiger Woods is under way, bunting a fairway metal down the middle just as a mini squall rolls across Royal Troon just making the fans raise their hoods and open their umbrellas again.

I've got my fingers crossed for Tiger but these are the worst possible conditions for him to try to nurse his patched-up body around the links today.

Not an awful lot of red numbers among those out in the later groups, but Sepp Straka and Brendon Todd - playing together - and Denny McCarthy are under par after five, as is Jason Day a hole behind.

There are birdies to be made out there. You just need to work awfy hard for them.

Robert MacIntyre has just hit a 389-drive on the last. Must be one of the longest of the day - in fact, it is the longest. Some venom in that one.

Image source, Getty Images

Xander Schauffele ended his wait for a major victory by winning the US PGA Championship at Valhalla in May.

The American will attempt to win a second Olympic gold medal in Paris next month, but first comes his bid to win the Claret Jug at Royal Troon.

We haven't heard about this group for a while, mainly because they ran into a bit of a logjam and had a very long wait on the 16th tee.

Brian Harman's second has landed in a similar position to where Jon Rahm was a few minutes ago, from where the Spaniard took six.

That's about as good as you're going to get for Russell Henley, who finishes with a 69 after three birdies and just the one dropped shot and he's in a great position.

Especially if the weather turns again.

Robert MacIntyre found the front bunker from the tee on 17 and could not save his par, meaning he joins playing partner Jon Rahm on two over.

Fist pump from Bryson DeChambeau!

Out of nowhere, the US Open champion has just drilled in an eagle putt from 54 feet. That gets him smiling - and he's still birdie free for the tournament.

Meanwhile, Ludvig Aberg has cleared the green with his chip out of the rough and is in the bunker trying to hole out for par at 16.

He's had to flex his leg onto the back of the sand and somehow he's managed to get it out successfully.

Great skill, but the green catches him out and he's ended up with a bogey.

On the first tee, the trio of Wyndham Clark, Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama are under way.

All three have sent their opening tee shots left of the first fairway.

You won't miss Koepka today, by the way, in his bright coral-coloured jacket.

Image source, PA Media

Tiger Woods' physical issues have been well documented in the past couple of years.

This is only his fifth tournament start in 2024; the other three majors, as well as the Genesis Invitational - during which he withdrew in the second round because of flu-like symptoms.

The three-time Open champion told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I wish I had a little bit more under my belt going into some of these events, but the cadence is fast.

"This year I've been battling some stuff physically so I haven't played that much, and I want to save it for the majors. I don't want to burn myself out pre-major and then not be able to play.

"So at least I'm going to be able to play in the majors, but unfortunately I'm not coming in as prepared as I'd like to be.

"But it is what it is, that's how the cards have been dealt. I've just got to deal with it and do my job, which is execute shots and not make any mental mistakes."

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Tony Finau just trying to make sure his swing's on plane....

Image source, PA Media

Unfortunately for Rory McIlroy, that length of putt proves too much and he's joined his US Open conqueror Bryson DeChambeau at six over par on day one.

I also realised the 'birdie' chance I thought Tyrrell had on the previous hole was actually for par. And he missed.

He's just bogeyed 15 too so is now on +2 for the tournament.

That was sensational from Rory McIlroy as he flashes his ball out of the bunker and gets it on the green.

Nineteen feet for par seems incredibly penal after that magic out of the sand, but that's what The Open can do to your round.

Consecutive doubles for Rickie Fowler. A brace of bunkers caused his problems this time. Four over after three. Nae good.

Not much better for 2011 champion Darren Clarke, either. He compiled an ugly seven on the second to sit three over after two.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on 5 Live

As a professional golfer there’s nothing worse than players playing slowly in front of you, or alongside you.

Certainly if they’re playing alongside you, it’s really off-putting because you as the quicker player tend to try and make up for them when you know full well it’s not you that’s got your three ball out of position.

It's just really frustrating.

In conditions like this, to hang round, you just want to keep going, keep some flow and keep some warmth about it.

No such danger with Ludvig Aberg and Bryson DeChambeau. These guys fly round!

Jon Rahm took a detour through a bunker on his way to the green and it's a bogey six for the Spaniard.

Pars for Bob MacIntyre and Tommy Fleetwood, and this group is about half an hour away from being able to warm up with a cuppa in the clubhouse.

The cap has come off for Rory McIlroy and he rubs his head in confusion.

Powerful drive, albeit in the rough but then his second lands on the fairway only to come rolling back into a bunker.

Can't catch a break at the moment.

Tiger Woods is the only player in the field to have previously won The Open on three occasions.

It is 29 years since Woods made his Open debut as an amateur in 1995 at St Andrew's, where he later achieved two of his three Open victories.

He is also one of only two players to retain the Claret Jug since the turn of the century, with the other being Padraig Harrington.

Image source, Getty Images

Spare a thought for CT Pan of Chinese Taipei, who had to angrily scrawl a nine on his card after he trudged off the sixth.

After a decent drive, he slashed his second into the rough and had a couple of thrashes to get it out. A dalliance with a greenside bunker followed before a couple of putts ended the misery.

Three holes to go and Bryson DeChambeau finally finds his feet with his driver and flings his golf ball 360 yards.

Much more conservative from Ludvig Aberg who is almost 100 yards back after going with an iron off the tee.

I guess DeChambeau may as well be aggressive on what has been the 'easiest' hole on the course today.