And Fleetwood should know all about home support.

Who can forget the constant stream of "Go on, Tommy lad" from the Royal Liverpool punters this time last year.

Image source, PA Media

England's Tommy Fleetwood will begin his 10th attempt to win The Open at 09:36 BST.

"It's definitely my favourite tournament of the year - I love The Open," he told the BBC.

"I grew up in Southport, which has Royal Birkdale and is an Open town. Just from being a kid playing golf, it's always resonated with me.

"My first dream as a golfer was to play The Open and win The Open."

In the first two rounds, Fleetwood will play alongside former Masters champion Jon Rahm and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who is sure to get magnificent support from his home crowd.

Fleetwood added: "I've got a nice three-ball, I'm sure there will be a lot of support for Bob and I'll enjoy playing in front of that home atmosphere with him."

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Royal Troon

There are a dozen players under par so far this morning but while it may look like Royal Troon is there for the taking, nobody has got into the guts of the back nine yet.

The 11th, Railway, has played the toughest hole on the course for the past three Opens held here. The 498-yard par-four hole was described by Jack Nicklaus as the hardest he played in championship golf.

And that's just for starters. You make your score on the way out at Troon, and then hang on as best you can on the way home.

First blemish on the card for Justin Thomas after a duffed tee shot at the par-three fifth.

He's scrambled well and is unfortunate not to be rewarded, but his par putt scuttles by.

Richard Winton
BBC Scotland at Royal Troon

“Be good” urges a fella beside me as Matt Wallace’s chip floats through the air on four. One dunt, one hop, and in it goes. Good, it was.

Another contender, another response from leader Younghan Song.

He's backed up his excellent tee shot at the eighth with a well-taken putt to move clear at four under.

While we're in the market for moments of magic, here's Adam Scott at the first.

Well, well, well - that lead for Younghan Song didn't last long. And in the most spectacular fashion.

Matt Wallace is telling everyone to settle down but rightfully gets the acclaim from his playing partners after holing out from 85 yards for an eagle on four.

He's up to three under. Majestic.

Not sure Justin Rose has packed the right putter so far today.

It was a fine tee shot at the fifth but he's off line with the flatstick and is again forced to settle for par.

Just as a clutch of players join Younghan Song at two under par, he finds another birdie at seven to move clear of the pack once again.

Three birdies in his first seven holes for the South Korean, a two-time winner on the Japan Tour.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Royal Troon

It's raining again. That is all.

Right then, who's been with us since 6:30?

I've got my strong cup of coffee and my fingers poised as a wave of big hitters are going out over the next hour or so.

• 09:36: Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Jon Rahm
• 09:47: Ludvig Aberg, Bryson DeChambeau
• 09:58: Brian Harman, Viktor Hovland
• 10:09: Tyrrell Hatton, Max Homa, Rory McIlroy

Will one of these golfers be lifting the Claret Jug on Sunday?

Hit the thumbs then tell us on #bbcgolf who you think and why.

Image source, BBC Sport

Former European Tour player Andrew Murray will once again be part of the BBC Radio 5 Live commentary team.

He played in three Open Championships, the first of which was right here at Royal Troon in 1982, when the legendary Tom Watson won the fourth of his five titles.

He's had a little time to kill, so he's been getting a little arty. The Claret Jug sits proudly just off to the right of the first tee, almost in the eyeline of the players, if they're not nervous enough.

Just one hour until we get full live radio commentary of day one.

Image source, Getty Images

It's been an impressive start from Justin Thomas and he cleans up on the par-five fourth by taking his second birdie of the day.

He was off the radar coming into this tournament but going out early has the chance to lay down a marker.

It's important to get into shape on the front nine at Royal Troon and Sweden's Alex Noren has finished off the first half of his round with a well-taken birdie.

He's into a share of the lead as he makes the turn and begins the arduous journey back to the clubhouse.

You have to love the look on a golfer's face after they've hit the ball.

Justin Rose looks uncertain , cross, anguished, and then smiling as his shot swerves the greenside bunkers and rolls delightfully round to inside 14 feet.

He'll have a good look at birdie there.

Perfect start for England's Aaron Rai after nestling his wedge the closest we've seen so far today to the first hole.

He gives his putt some thump and it rolls round the cup before dropping for an opening birdie.

Justin Rose has reached the green in three at the par-five fourth but he's got fully 27 feet for birdie.

His effort hangs left and doesn't drop but he'll take his par and move on to the first par three of his round.

Tom English
BBC Sport at Royal Troon

Image source, PA Media

It's not exactly what we expected from that hole. Here's what our colleague Tom English had to say about it...

The legend of the Postage Stamp reached a new level on Tuesday when Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion, spoke about the devilish little par-three eighth at Royal Troon.

It is a hole that has in past Open championships seen a one and a 15 and plenty of other numbers in between.

"Well, it can be diabolical, for sure," said the American, which was nothing unusual in itself. At 123 yards and surrounded by bunkers - one of them going by the cheery name of The Coffin - it can be utterly diabolical.

What was different was the fact that at the time he was talking, DeChambeau hadn't even set foot on it. Ever. Its reputation preceded it. He hadn't hit one shot and yet he knew everything he needed to do there and, more importantly, everything he simply could not do.

It is, of course, in the pantheon of great Open holes. A tee box atop a dune, a long and narrow green set into the side of a sandhill, five intimidating bunkers lying in wait for an errant blow, which is precisely what the wind might do at some point this week. If it does, watch out.

Read more from Tom here

The opening groups are nearing the midway point of the round and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin and Scottish amateur Calum Scott have just tackled the fearsome par-three eighth - the Postage Stamp.

Well, I say fearsome... they've both just walked off the green after collecting birdies.

Got to be happy with that.