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So welcome one and all, we hope you're on your morning commute, maybe at your desk, hopefully still under the duvet, and that you're braced for four days of sublime golf.

The sun is shining at Troon - yes really - and we will bring you every blow from here until sometime on Sunday evening.

Every controversial Rory McIlroy quote, every long-winded Jason Day practice swing, every "be good" that comes from the mouth of Jordan Spieth.

As always we want to hear all your thoughts on #bbcgolf. Tee times coming up shortly but I can tell you Troon is dishing out an early nightmare... 

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"This wasn't drawn out of the hat," Montgomerie joked after it was confirmed he would hit the first shot of the 145th Open at the course where his father James was club secretary for more than 20 years and will soon take over as president.

"I was asked, if it so happened, would I be OK hitting the first tee shot? And I said, 'Yes, it would be a great honour' and I treat it as such. 

"Everything that happens after that first tee shot is a bonus and I'm looking forward to walking the fairways and looking forward to the week ahead."

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What was it Tinie Tempah sang, rapped, call it what you will.

"Written in the stars, a million miles away..."

I wonder if he wrote that line with Colin Montgomerie in mind? I doubt it, but it's apt on this sunny July morning.

Monty calls Troon his home course. How sweet it must be for him to strike the opening tee shot then having not made it into an Open since 2010.

Here he goes. "Play well" he tells playing partners Luke Donald and Marc Leishman. With a swing of an iron, Monty is in the first cut of rough, nothing too punishing. His playing partners are on the fairway.

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This is golf's oldest event after all. Why would it be easy? If you want your name alongside Bob Ferguson, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, you'll have to earn it.

A whopping 29 Open Championships in a row found a welcoming Scottish winner when this event started in 1860.

Some 144 runnings later, Scotland is 17 years without a win, so can the 145th Open provide a Scottish fairytale? One of their own is about to get us started...

This picturesque, postcard like patch of western Scotland packs a punch. Royal Troon, a sand wedge north of Ayr, is the home of infamous pot boxers. It will dash dreams held since childhood in a split second. Take nothing for granted...

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Bump it over a mound, keep it under the wind, trickle one onto the green, take your punishment, there'll be no flop shots here, no showing off, this is where history is made, how dare you contemplate a catwalk moment on these ruthless, punishing links.

Dare you dream to kiss the jug. Dare you dream to walk the walk of a champion golfer....