Phil Mickelson has made a promising start and sits at three under through six - there were birdies at the second, fourth and sixth for the 46-year-old American. 

South African Ernie Els looked to be enjoying as similarly productive an opening, but after a run of three birdies he bogeys the sixth to slip back to one under.

Sergio Garcia is out - will the Spaniard finally get his first major championship win?

He tied for second at The Open two years ago, as well as in 2007, but that's as close as the 36-year-old has come.

He joins American Keegan Bradley and India's Anirban Lahiri for today's round

 American Steve Stricker hits a beautiful shot onto the green on the 18th. 

So the back nine is causing some difficulties; BBC Sport's golf commentator Ken Brown takes a look at how prevailing wind plays a part at Royal Troon.

We have not had a Scottish winner of the Open since Paul Lawrie triumphed at Carnoustie in 1999 and the home fans are hoping Russell Knox is going to be the man to end that run.

Knox, the highest placed Scot in the world rankings at 26th, recorded a double bogey at the second and misses a birdie chance on the third as his putt carries on straight, instead of making the necessary glide to the right.

It should be a par, but he misses from short range and that is now three over after three.

Dustin Johnson recovers to make par after finding the rough off the tee, while former world number one Martin Kaymer is level through three after an uneventful start.

-5 Patrick Reed (18)

-4 Justin Thomas (18), Steve Stricker (18), Billy Horschel (17), Kevin Na (6)

-3 Justin Rose (18), Soomin Lee (18), Shugo Imahira (17), Richard Sterne (15), Haydn Porteous (13), Kevin Kisner (8), Soren Kjeldsen (8)

-2 10 players including Rickie Fowler (18), Rory McIlroy (18) & Phil Mickelson (4).

View the full leaderboard here., external

USA Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III will be licking his lips when he glances at the current Open Championship leaderboard at Royal Troon.

It's an all-American top five at the moment - Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas, Steve Stricker, Billy Horschel and Kevin Na, while an another eight Americans are lurking on two under.

Image source, Getty Images

Three bogeys now on the back nine for Haydn Porteous, coming at the 10th, 11th and 13th.

That has seen the South African slip down the leaderboard after rounding the opening nine in 30 to take spot.

He's three under through 13 - only two shots off the clubhouse leader Patrick Reed - but the 22-year-old needs to regain some control of this round, and quick.

Dustin Johnson's first shot of the day was way off the fairway on his way to a bogey at the opening hole.

The 2016 US Open champion has a chance for a birdie on the second, but he sends his putt up the slope although his angles are off and the opportunity vanishes.

Scotland's Russell Knox is in trouble on the same hole, deep in sand. His attempt to escape fails and he is still deep in sand.

His attempt for a bogey runs on as well and he eventually leaves with a double bogey. Not the start he and the home fans were hoping for.

There have been 295 birdies today so far, just 57 on the back nine.

Image source, Getty Images

Those of you who have been with us since this morning will remember Sanghee Lee leading early on today. 

Sadly for the major tournament debutant, he built on 33 strokes over the front nine with 40 on the back. That's two over and shows just how dramatic the back nine could be this week.

So what is a good score today?

Many are finding the front nine easy and the back nine tough.

Clubhouse leader Patrick Reed on five-under par, described it as "David v Goliath".

Jordan Spieth and Danny Willett struggled, finishing on par and history is not on their side.

In 10 of the last 11 years the eventual winner has broken par in the first round.

Image source, PA

Rory McIlroy reacts to his two-under-par round on Sky Sports: "After a slow start I made a run of birdies. Ten and 11 were the hardest on the course and I negotiated those pretty well. Something in the 60s was a solid start."

Defending champion Zach Johnson gets under way with a birdie. 

The American is playing alongside Henrik Stenson, who cards an opening par, and Adam Scott, who also begins his Open Championship weekend with a par.

Zach Johnson finds the green with his second shot on one.

If he wins again he may be able buy some pineapple design wallpaper for the house and thank John Daly for the inspiration.

Image source, BBC Sport

Dustin Johnson begins his first with a tricky bogey. He was in trouble from the off with a terrible tee shot. 

Martin Kaymer is in for par, Russell Knox follows suit.

Can Rory McIlroy end strongly? He held a share of the lead after four early birdies before a double bogey on the 13th did some damage to his round.

But it is not the end the former Open champion hoped for as a 15-foot putt drifts left, leaving him banging his putter against the ground in frustration. But still, two under for today leaves him currently in tied 12th.

An eventful round from Bubba Watson ends with a birdie. His efforts today include seven birdies, three bogeys and a triple bogey on the eighth leave him on one under. Definitely a mixed bag, that card.

Hideki Matsuyama, tied sixth in the Open three years ago, ends round one on one over after a birdie-free back nine.

And ladies and gents, we warned you it was bold, we warned you of the fruit choice, we give you John Daly's round one pants.

The 1995 champion is one under through eight. Look good, feel good, play good.

Image source, AP

A beautiful tee shot from McIlroy on his last hole of the day, while Watson just about stays out of the sand.

However, his second shot is much better and gets a warm round of applause from the fans. Watson dropped a shot on the 17th but both he and McIlroy could be moving up the leaderboard shortly.