Summary

Live Reporting

Paul Higham, Phil Cartwright, Joe Bradshaw, Tim Abraham, Ros Satar and Henry Cowling

  1. 'Top players like Fleetwood can salvage their rounds'

    McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (11)

    Oliver Wilson
    Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live at Portrush

    Tommy FleetwoodGetty Images

    The best players in the world might look like they're struggling, but if they just stay patient they can salvage their rounds.

    All of the top players have to have an element of that in their game.

  2. McIlroy's stats

    McIlroy -2 (11)

    Rory McIlroy is scrambling well today.

    Before his tee shot on the 12th, his driving accuracy was down at just 22.2% (ranked 149th out of 156 in the field) - but he's hitting 81.8% of greens in regulation (ranked sixth).

  3. McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (11)

    More trouble for Rory McIlroy off the tee on 12.

    This one appears on line and if it had been struck a couple of yards further, it would have been pretty good.

    Instead, it finds the sand alongside Tommy Fleetwood's ball.

    Justin Thomas is in the rough on the other side of the fairway.

  4. English back into share of lead

    English -4 (11)

    Harris EnglishGetty Images

    Oh wow, what a putt from Harris English from the back of the 11th green!

    Now he's back to four under and in a share of the lead.

  5. Pars all round

    MacIntyre -1, DeChambeau +3, Rose -2 (11)

    This marquee group have blasted their way down the par-five 12th and are all on the green in three.

    Bob MacIntyre is first up with a birdie look from 15 feet. No dice.

    How's your luck Bryson? DeChambeau a little too aggressive and staying well over par.

    Justin Rose has already lagged a 35-foot putt in to around four feet. He sinks it.

    But the 12th is playing the easiest today at 4.64 average, so pars are not ideal.

  6. McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (11)

    Matt Gault
    BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Royal Portrush

    We're approaching the four-hour mark for this round and McIlroy, Fleetwood and Thomas find themselves waiting on the 12th tee. Far from ideal.

    Thomas has his cap in hand, looking down the fairway as the two European Ryder Cup team-mates shoot the breeze.

    McIlroy spoke earlier this week about embracing the challenge. He certainly hasn't looked tense out here.

  7. 'Just been a very slow day'

    Catriona Matthew
    Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

    We have lots of time to look at the scenery. It keeps grinding to a halt. The par fives are reachable, people looking for golf balls. It’s just been a very slow day out here.

    It’s not easy, it’s been a little easier this afternoon without the rain but the wind’s definitely picked up a little bit. It’s got fresher.

  8. Niemann in contention

    Niemann -2 (13)

    Joaquin Nieman with his ball after a hole at The Open 2025Getty Images

    Chile's Joaquin Niemann has been trying to translate his excellent form on LIV into the majors and he finished in a tie for eighth at May's US PGA Championship.

    He narrowly misses out on a second consecutive birdie as his attempt on the par-three 13th slides just wide, but at two under par he's right in the mix.

  9. 'Misread from Rory'

    McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (11)

    Oliver Wilson
    Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live at Portrush

    He just misread it and it sneaks past that left edge. A bit unfortunate, but only a bogey and not too bad round here.

  10. Bogey for McIlroy

    McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (11)

    Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas chip from off the green and, like Rory McIlroy, have putts from within 10 feet for par.

    McIlroy putts first of the trio and slides it just left of the cup. A bogey for Rory and he's back to two under for the day.

    Thomas does likewise and he's now one over.

    Can Fleetwood prevent a trio of bogeys for this group? Yes he can.

  11. Birdie on 12 for Hatton

    Hatton -3 (12)

    Tremendous stuff from Tyrrell Hatton as he sets himself up for a tempting eagle look on 12 from 17 feet.

    This is for a share of the lead... no it's skipped by.

    A look of frustration briefly passes Hatton's face as debriefs with his caddie but a tap-in birdie moves him ever closer.

  12. Richard Winton
    BBC Sport Scotland at Royal Portrush

    If this round doesn’t speed up, some of these lads might celebrate birthdays before getting back to the recorders’ hut.

  13. McIlroy -3, Fleetwood +2, Thomas E (10)

    Rory McIlroy has to take his medicine after going left from the 11th tee. About 90 yards left to get up and down for par.

    He's done the first bit right - probably within 10 feet for par.

    Tommy Fleetwood was in a similar spot but was able to bunt his ball a bit further up the fairway.

    Justin Thomas is long and right of the green in two.

  14. Get Involved - Slow play

    #bbcgolf, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

    Got our tee time double booked on the PGA National at The Belfry. Waiting 10-15 minutes on every hole. Round took 7 hours.

    Max, Warwickshire

    Slow play? Nine hours for a 36 medal competition many years ago in Rotherham and with a 10 on the first it was a very, very long day!

    Andrew from Milton Keynes

    Nine hours wins so far for the longest round/slowest play - can anyone beat that? Get in touch using any of the methods above.

  15. Lowry pleased with 'decent' opening'

    Lowry -1 (70)

    Shane LowryGetty Images

    Shane Lowry is happy with how his first round went after finishing one under par, three shots off the current leaders.

    "Everything is great," said Lowry, who won the Open at Portrush in 2019. "I've fought with this round of golf in my head for a few weeks now. I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

    "Any time you shoot a one-under-par around Portrush in those conditions, I think is decent."

    Lowry likened his nerves on the first tee to those experienced at the Ryder Cup.

    "The first tee shot wasn't that easy," he added. "I wasn't feeling very comfortable there.

    "It's going to be all right for the rest of the week. I just wanted to get my tournament under way.

    "Obviously I want so much to do well in this tournament. I want so much to give myself a chance on Sunday."

  16. McIlroy -3, Fleetwood +2, Thomas E (10)

    Another Rory McIlroy tee shot leaks to the left rough on the 11th.

    It's two out of nine fairways hit by the Masters champion now, putting him 148th of 156 players for driving accuracy today.

    Scottie Scheffler is one of the players below McIlroy on that metric, by the way - he hit three of 14 fairways but still made it round in three under par.

  17. McIlroy charging

    McIlroy -3 (10)

    Home favourite Rory McIlroy finds himself one shot off the lead.

    His charge towards the upper part of the leaderboard really gathered momentum with birdies on the fifth and seventh.

    McIlroy makes two birdies in three holes

  18. Slow play affecting players

    Marc Leishman was frustrated by slow play at The Open, saying it’s difficult to adjust when he’s used to the quicker rounds on LIV.

    “It felt like we were on the course for about 12 hours," said the Australian.

    Earlier today, JJ Spaun was just given a "bad time" warning after his group was put on the clock and he took more than 50 seconds to hit his approach on the 17th hole.

  19. 'Good save for MacIntyre'

    MacIntyre -1 (11)

    Catriona Matthew
    Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Really good save (for Bob MacIntyre) after having two bogeys on the last holes.

    That will settle him down with a par five to come up next.

  20. Birdie for Rose

    MacIntyre -1, DeChambeau +3, Rose -2 (11)

    The 11th is playing as the hardest hole on the course today. It was the hardest hole in 2019, so probably no surprise there then.

    Robert MacIntyre has been messing around in the rough again and is left with a 16-footer for par. Nailed it! Big putt for the Scotsman.

    Here's Justin Rose with a 12-footer for birdie. A bit of a fist pump there from the Englishman who finally gets one to drop. He's just two off the lead.

    And given that hole is averaging 4.45 so far today, that's a significant birdie for Rose.