Phil Taylor:, external Are there any pros who don't like links golf? They all seem to love the creativity and imagination it requires.

Niall Watson:, external Love the Open. Tiger looks great having had back surgery. Go Tiger!

Stuart Silk:, external Conditions are going to get harder, will make end of day one interesting.

Furyk for a bird on 18 and he's raced it a few feet by. Tiger with his third at 16, out of some green-side fluff, and that's a peach, tap-in for birdie and three under, stays -2. Darren Clarke, champion in 2011, rolls in for par at the last and a level-par 72. Tom Watson, five-time champion, in for a 73 and Furyk in with a 68. Worth a punt.

Image source, PA

Three-time Open champion Nick Faldo managed 18 pars on his final round at St Andrews to win the Claret Jug in 1987 and he is in similar mood today.

The 56-year-old is one over par after 10 holes, with nine pars and a bogey.

Afternoon. This isn't Andy Cryer, this is Ben Dirs. You join me, or I join you, as McIlroy pars the 14th and Tiger Woods makes a monstrosity of his tee shot at the par-five 16th. What a rotter.

Anyway, with Rory McIlroy sharing the lead at the Open, time I passed you onto the more then capable hands of Ben Dirs.

Over to you Ben......

Tiger Woods is in a tricky position in the rough on 15. He was close to cutting the ball onto the green but his gamble has backfired and left him a testing up and down to save his par. He'll probably go and chip it in now........

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The co-leaders of the Open have a combined age of just 46. Matteo Manassero, 21, and Rory McIlroy, 25, are revelling in kind conditions at Royal Liverpool on five under but have six players giving chase a shot behind.

The last three winners of the Open have been over 40, could this be a changing of the guard?

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Lucky boy. Tiger Woods looks to be heading for the bunker from his tee shot on the 16th but somehow the ball squirms clear and sits nicely on the edge of the fairway. Woods will fancy his chances of setting up another birdie chance after four in the last five leaves him on two under and three shots off the lead.

Italy's Francesco Molinari speaking to BBC Sport after an eagle on the 18th took him to four under par, one off the lead: "There were just a couple of bogeys to not make it perfect but it was an excellent morning. Conditions were ideal. I've been here since Sunday and it's a really fair test of golf it's all in front of you. I enjoyed this morning and hope there's more to come.

"My brother was two or three groups in front and I kept an eye on him. He had a faster start so I had to catch up. I was just happy to post a good score and it's put me in a good position hopefully.

"We've played together in the last group a couple of times and he finished winning both tournaments so I need to improve my record when I'm playing alongside him but there's a lot of golf to go."

Paul Lawrie posted this on Twitter:, external "79+7 today hit it awful and holed nothing #notagoodcombo #rangebound"

Peter Alliss
BBC Sport commentator

"If Tiger does a score under 70 after his shaky start, that will be a very good round of golf."

Tiger Woods has a strut in his stride as he makes his fourth birdie in the last five holes. The American keeps his head incredibly still as he rolls home a putt from about six feet on the par-three 15th to move to two under. After a shocking start, Woods is making a mockery of the fact he has been out for most of the year with a back injury.

Rory McIlroy has company in the lead on five under as Matteo Manassero birdies the par-five 18th to take the clubhouse lead.

6th (New)

Par three, 201 yards

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The most challenging par three on the course. Normally played into a crosswind, it is surrounded by deep bunkers. The long, narrow green slopes from back to front.

2006 difficulty rating: 6

This will not be happening this year.

Image source, Getty Images

Paul Lawrie, champion in 1999, has had a Liverpool nightmare on day one, finishing seven over par with six bogeys and a double littering his card. His chances of landing the Claret Jug appear over, though he did fight back from 10 behind to win in '99 - still a record turnaround.

John Singleton's friend Sid talks about the factory worker's amazing story: "This is really weird. We're using to playing with him in the Willow Open organised by our local and here he is at Royal Liverpool. He had to borrow a couple of wedges for qualifying and those clubs are definitely new. Sponsors have been falling over themselves to give him free stuff."

Singleton is level through seven on his Open debut.

Rickie Fowler is lurking menacingly just one shot back from leader Rory McIlory after a birdie on 16 to move back to four under. Fowler likes links golf and will fancy his chances this week.

So here is where we are up to...

Image source, The Open

Then there are five players on three under including former champion Louis Oosthuizen, Rickie Fowler and Scotland's Stephen Gallagher. Tiger Woods is one further back in his first major since returning from back surgery.

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Tiger Woods drops a shot after a poor chip left him 20 feet from the hole on 14. The former number one had made three birdies on the trot but swipes his putter in annoyance as he leaves his putt short to drop back to one under.

Image source, Reuters

McIlroy makes no mistake in tapping in his sixth birdie from close range on the 12 to take the outright lead.

The Irishman has so enjoyed a flawless round, with five birdies.

The suggestion is the weather could turn over the weekend though - something McIlroy won't want to hear.