Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

Image source, AGW

Rory McIlroy has already picked up one award this week - the Association of Golf Writers player of the year award.

"Any excuse to wear the Green Jacket" was the Masters champion's reasoning for taking time out of his preparations to collect the award in person from chairman Phillip Reid.

It's 28 years since Justin Leonard won the Open but the veteran American is sticking his name towards the top of the leaderboard again.

He slots in a 10-footer for birdie on the ninth to reach the turn in two under par.

Rory McIlroy's tee shot at the sixth gets him on the green but he is not able to capitalise and convert the birdie and taps in for par. He is starting to find rhythm to his game now.

Moments earlier, Tommy Fleetwood had the crowd revving up with a monster putt for a birdie which missed the hole by the barest of margins.

Justin Rose, from prime position in the middle of the fairway but that's not great from 260 yards, leaking out right and into the towering sand dunes that separate this beast of a par-five hole from the Atlantic Ocean.

Bryson DeChambeau can't reach the green from the lie he has but a big biff up the hill goes mightily close.

Bob Mac is last to play and he's closest to the green, his ball bouncing up towards the front edge.

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Royal Portrush

"Yaaaa!"

The gallery erupts as Rory McIlroy sinks his birdie try up the slope and raises his putter to acknowledge the cheers.

Tommy Fleetwood isn't so happy. He was Shane Lowry's challenger-in-chief round this track six years ago, but he hasn't settled so far today.

McIlroy and Justin Thomas have been chatting away to each other but Fleetwood is exuding an edgier vibe at the moment.

World number 17 Maverick McNealy had an eagle putt on the seventh to join the leading group at four under, but had to make do with a birdie.

The American is three under par after seven and has a birdie chance from 15 feet on the eighth... misses. Par.

We're not seeing very much of Tyrrell Hatton in his stylish checked shirt but the camera pans to him and he's putting for eagle on the seventh green.

It's short, but he'll tidy up for par and move very handsomely to three under par.

Cashing in on those preferable conditions.

Don't think Iain Carter is intentionally sticking the boot in on the marquee trio of Hovland, Spieth and Aberg there...

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live at Royal Portrush

The wind is kicking up a bit from time to time, but easily the best conditions of the day so far here.

Goodness me, this group is struggling.

Viktor Hovland three-putts on the sixth for another bogey, his third in the space of four holes. Jordan Spieth drops another too.

With conditions looking like they're slightly easier for the afternoon wave, these three will be kicking themselves with the way they've started.

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

On the reachable par-five seventh the Justin Rose group got to the tee, Tyrrell Hatton's group was already on the tee, they’re now still waiting on them.

There's a good 10-minute delay on this seventh tee.

After what has seemed like a ridiculously long wait on the seventh tee, Bob MacIntyre pounds his drive down the left edge of the fairway. Bryson DeChambeau follows his line but his ball gets caught up in a gnarly mound of rough.

Justin Rose cracks a 344-yarder down the middle.

A beautiful clifftop tee for the sixth hole at Royal Portrush.

It's 193 yards of a par three for Rory McIlroy and co.

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

That was a fantastic putt, you could see it swinging in. Awesome three.

The crowd at Royal Portrush near the green on the fifth hole give a hearty roar as Rory McIlroy notches his second birdie to go one under.

The Northern Irishman rolls in a 27-foot putt up the hill and into the hole. Brilliant stuff.

McIlroy puffs out his cheeks, stifling a smile.

Image source, Getty Images

This is going to be a helter skelter post.

First point is to say well done Aaron Rai for joining the leaders at four under par after a majestic approach at the eighth.

And I'll immediately follow that by saying bad luck Aaron Rai after he bogeyed the ninth.

Sorry we didn't tell you this earlier...!

With a beautiful view of the ocean in the background, Rory McIlroy lands an iron on the fifth hole on the green. He has a birdie chance here. A tough one, but a chance nonetheless.

Tommy Fleetwood, meanwhile, is muttering swear words after finding the bunker.

We mentioned Lucas Glover's birdie-eagle start a little while ago - well, fellow American Harris English hasn't quite managed that, but three birdies in the first four holes have moved him within one shot of the lead in the group at three under par.

Image source, Getty Images

A long birdie putt on 16 moves Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana within one of the leaders.

Kaewkanjana took a short hiatus from professional golf in 2023 to live as a Buddhist monk and practice meditation.

He won twice on the Asian Tour and finished 11th at the 2022 Open at St Andrews before stepping away.

“I was ordained because I wanted to return the greatest merit and repay my parents,” he said in 2023.

The 27-year-old qualified for Royal Portrush by winning the Kolon Korea Open in May, part of the Open Qualifying Series.

“I was cut off from the rest of the world when I was ordained," he added. "That made me feel more calm. I was able to concentrate more, which will help me improve my game of golf.”