The Open Championship, Hoylake, first round

Summary

Rory McIlroy leads on six under with a round of 66 at Hoylake
Italy's Matteo Manassero makes 67 and Molinari brothers both 68
Lowry, Scott, Garcia, Furyk and Koepka fire 68s and Tiger Woods 69
Westwood 71, Rose 72, Poulter 73, Mickelson 74, B Watson 76

Live Reporting

Andy Cryer, Ben Dirs and Luke Reddy

Postpublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Hoylake
Image source, AFP
"On certain shots, like his second into the 12th just now, Rory McIlroy has that aura reserved for an elite few. A dash of swagger, a touch of magic and a calling card that says 'I am the man'. A thing of beauty, if your thing is watching ice-white golf balls soar high into an azure sky with a hint of draw before dropping to within yards of the pin."
Amateur battlepublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
England's Ashley Chesters is leading the way in the amateur battle after finishing on two under, just three shots off the lead. Scotland's Bradley Neil is having a day to forget as he approaches the last on seven over.
Postpublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
You can watch Australian Matt Jones's brilliant bunker shot for eagle at the 18th here. Jones finished on one under after being four over after three.
Postpublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Rory McIlroy continues to make the course look easy as he puts an eight iron to within 10 feet of the hole on the 12th. A chance for the Irishman to take the outright lead on five under.
Open predictionspublished at 12:24 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Winner: Lee Westwood
"He played some really good golf last year on a links and he is the sort of guy who can get his game together for this week.
"I just feel he might be up for it as not too much has been written about him lately, which could be good."
Big week: Martin Kaymer
Who will win the Open? Tweet us on #bbcgolf, text 81111 or comment on the BBC Sport Facebook page., external
Player reactionpublished at 12:22 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Edoardo Molinari speaking to BBC Sport after finishing his opening round with a four- under-par 68: "I hit the ball very well and it was a great finish with two in the last three. There's no wind out there, and it's the easiest the course will be all week, but I hit the ball well and gave myself a lot of chances. It was good to finish with two birdies on the two par fives.
"It's important to keep the ball in play off the tee because the bunkers are still there and some of the flags are difficult to get to. You have patience, take your chances and hole your putts."
You can watch the coverage by clicking on the Live Coverage tab at the top of the page.
Players yet to startpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Image source, Reuters
US Open champion Martin Kaymer is just one of a number of big names yet to tee off at Royal Liverpool. He gets under way at 13:38 BST.
Others waiting to begin: Sandy Lyle (Sco) 12:43 BST; Jason Day (Aus) 13:38 BST, Ernie Els (SA) 14:05 BST, Phil Mickelson (US) 14:05 BST, Bubba Watson (US) 14:05 BST, Adam Scott (Aus) 14:27 BST, Lee Westwood (Eng) 14:38 BST.
Woods moves to two underpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Simple for Woods as he taps in for birdie at 13 after his approach shot left him close to the hole. Woods is just two shots off the lead at two under now. He is getting back into the groove.
Eagle for Poulterpublished at 12:18 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
At last, something to cheer about for Ian Poulter.
The Englishman sinks a putt from distance to eagle the par-five 10th and move to two over. It has been a pretty miserable morning for Poulter though.
Postpublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Jordan Spieth what are you doing?
The American fires his tee shot into the rough stuff on the 12th. He is two under but is struggling to save par here.
Get Involvedpublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Naglotech:, external The highlight of the Open Championship golf for me is Ken On The Course.
Keith Ebbage:, external Don't know why players bother with caddies these days, a pre-round chat with Ken Brown would suffice.
John Shepherd:, external Of all of the different sports broadcasting features, Ken On The Course has to be up there with the best!
Image source, BBC Sport
Watch Ken examine the "sneaky" hole four and the "cracking" par-three sixth hole.
Postpublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Brilliant from Tiger as he draws an iron to within 10 feet on the par-three 13th. It looked decent when it landed but even better after a favourable roll. Chance for a third birdie in a row and the opportunity to move to two under.
Postpublished at 12:10 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
American Brandt Snedeker, who tees off at 12:54 BST, speaking to BBC Sport on the practice ground: "It's a great day for scoring and judging by the weather if you don't do it today it will be tough over the weekend. I've seen every condition in the time I've been here. There are low scores out there but it will be a tough test."
Woods moves to one underpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Wait a moment, Tiger is on the charge. Birdie again for Woods as he picks up a second successive shot on the 12th with a putt from eight feet to move to one under.
What a story this could be brewing.
Postpublished at 12:06 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
How on earth has he managed that? Henrik Stenson, putting for a birdie, ends up off the green and in the semi-rough. The Swede is two under after 11 but faces a real scrap to get his pat on 12.
Leaderboardpublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
-4: Brooks Koepka (US), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Rickie Fowler (US), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Rory McIlroy (NI); -3: Robert Karlsson (Swe), Marc Leishman (Aus), Koumei Oda (Jap), Matteo Manassero (Ita), Jim Furyk (US), Hideki Matsuyama (Jap), Stephen Gallagher (Sco), Marc Warren (Sco)
Selected others: Par: Tiger Woods (US), Nick Faldo (Eng), David Howell (Eng); +1: Darren Clarke (NI), Padraig Harrington (Ire)
Full leaderboard; , external Clubhouse scores; Tee times
Hoylake course guidepublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
5th (Long)
Par five, 528 yards
Image source, Getty Images
The big hitters, and brave, will fancy their chances of picking up scores here by driving to the corner of the dog-leg, over the waiting gorse, and going for the green in two. This hole yielded 23 eagles and 205 birdies during the 2006 Open. Dangerous bunkers lie in wait though as does a heavily contoured green.
2006 difficulty rating: 16
McIlroy joins leaders at four underpublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Easy for McIlroy as he putts in from a couple of yards after a delicious chip from the rough on the par-five 10th. He is in a five way tie of the lead and looking confident. He isn't the only one mind.
Postpublished at 12:01 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Hoylake
"Out with Rory McIlroy on the 10th at the south-western extremity of the course. He backs off his second shot as a Tiger Woods, playing back the other way down the adjacent 11th, sinks a long birdie putt after silenced greeted his approach. Mcilroy takes aim again, but this time there is none of the club twizzling and confident gum-chewing of earlier as he misses the green left and kicks his bag in frustration. He takes his hat off to wipe his brow and slopes off. Hot work in this Liverpudlian sun."
Postpublished at 11:57 British Summer Time 17 July 2014
Whisper it quietly but Rory McIlroy is looking very, very good. The Irishman has another birdie chance on 10 as he looks to join the outright leaders on four under.
All he needs now is to get rid of his Friday jitters........