Leader: -5 J Walker
Selected: -4 E Grillo, R Fisher, M Kaymer; -3 A Sullivan, H Stenson
-2 J Day; -1 P Casey, L Westwood
E J Rose, J Spieth, R Knox; +1 B Watson; D Willett
+4 R McIlroy; +7 D Johnson
Beef finally rolls in a birdie at the 210-yard, par-three ninth. He's one over. Rory McIlroy's 74 is looking worse and worse as they day wears on, he's currently tied for 135th in a field of 156. Former champion Padraig Harrington carded a 71 today, the Irishman was a winner at Oakland Hills.
E Stenson, Willett +2 Johnson (all 4)
Pars all round for Stenson, Willett and Johnson on the par three fourth.
These greens clearly aren't easy and here's Henrik and Dustin missing birdie putts at the par-three fourth. Both make pars, as does Masters champion Danny Willett. Spieth's long game is not as robust as it was and he's having to fall back on his scrambling skills a lot, as here with his second at six, which races past the hole before rolling back down.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesHere's Andrew Johnston on tee at the par-three ninth and that's a decent effort. He's two over today and I do wonder when all this 'Beef' stuff will become a little bit tiresome for the poor bloke. Poor birdie putt from Garcia at four, the story of the Spaniard's life, and he stays one under. Spieth saves par to stay level. Beauty of a tee shot from Garcia at six...
E Willett (3), Stenson (3) +2 Johnson (3)
Image source, Getty ImagesDouble bogey for Dustin Johnson who misses a downhill putt for par, speeds his next past the hole and then finally nails a three footer to go two-over.
Danny Willett with birdie attempt and he misreads it, but makes par.
Henrik Stenson mishits his first attempt and leaves it way, way short. His next putt is wide, a foot short and the Swede takes a bogey.
The Englishman on top in the battle of the champions.
The 18th green is being watered, they're clearly concerned about these greens getting so dried out they become almost unplayable. It's 34 degrees in Baltusrol. Northern Ireland's former US Open champion Graeme McDowell begins with two pars, as does South Africa's former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.
Spieth off the mark with four straight pars, while Bubba tugs his short par putt left at four to drop back to level. It has not been a great year for Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, who took the golfing word by storm a few years back. He's dropped down to 79 in the world by has put a handy 69 together today.
Image source, Getty ImagesDay -2 (18)
World number one and defending champion Jason Day has been talking about his round of 68.
Day's preparation has been disrupted by illness and he only had one day's practice. He spent Tuesday night in hospital after his wife had an allergic reaction.
"I played good today," he said. "I just didn't capitalise on the opportunities that I had out there and it's not disappointing. It is what it is. I guess I haven't had the greatest putting display over the last three weeks that I've played. I think that shows a little bit in the results. But for the most part, I feel pretty good about where my head is at and looking forward to the next three days.
"I'm glad I took Monday, Tuesday off, even though I'm a little bit under the weather. It was kind of a blessing really to come out yesterday, play 18 holes real quick and then get out of here.
"That's part of having a family, right. Things aren't going to be perfect all the time. I enjoy having my family on the road. It's not the first time that the kids and myself and Ellie have been sick. It's not going to be the last time. It's speed bumps that you have got to try and slow down and get around. Come out and execute."
Image source, Getty Images-1 Stenson (2) E Willett (2), Johnson (2)
Danny Willet has a three foot putt, it's right to left, but he reads the line perfectly and rolls it in for par.
Dustin Johnson is also down for four and on they go to the third hole.
Image source, Getty ImagesEngland's Justin Rose, a lot of people's tip this week, is out of the blocks with a par at the first. Not such a great start by his compatriot James Morrison, he's made bogeys at 11 and 13 and a double at the par-three 12th to be four over after four.
Stenson -1 (2)
Henrik Stenson looks like he is carrying on the way he left off at Royal Troon.
The Swede is 152 yards from the hole but pitches his wedge shot just in front of the hole and putts for an easy birdie.
Image source, Getty ImagesEngland's Ross Fisher, without a tournament win for two years, has carded a four-under 66 to tie for second with Emiliano Grillo. Spieth with a makeable birdie miss at three, he stays level.
E Johnson, Willett, Stenson (1)
Pars all round for Dustin Johnson, Danny Willett and Henrik Stenson, though Johnson did have a chance for an early birdie.
Image source, Getty ImagesWorld number eight Adam Scott is in with a first-round 70. Here's England's former number one Luke Donald at the par-three fourth and it's a beauty, chance to make par after two bogeys... in it goes. Crackerjack recovery at the third from Bubba, another birdie chance. Spieth stiffs his second to within eight or nine feet, Garcia well left of the flag.
Bubba somehow makes birdie at two, after a wild tee shot, to get to one under. Sergio Garcia follows him in to also get to one under. Phil Mickelson, fresh from his duel with Henrik Stenson in Troon, is in with a one-over 71.
-1 Westwood (18), Casey (18), Donaldson (18)
Other Brits with 69s today are Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Jamie Donaldson. Westwood parred every hole on the front nine but made three bogeys, two birdies and an eagle on the back nine.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesYou may notice Dustin Johnson has changed his look for the week.
The US Open winner has shaved his beard off.
Asked why, he answered:
"I don't know, just change it up. I finished ninth at the The Open, so I shaved it."
The year's three major champions on are on the first tee.
It's a reasonably straight hole, 478 yards to the pin.
First up is Masters winner Danny Willett.
Plenty of fidgeting before he plants his drive 300 yards.
US Open champion Dustin Johnson is next up and it's big, 321 yards.
Finally Henrik Stenson, with a three wood in hand, pings it 296 yards.
Solid start with all three finding the middle of the fairway.
It's been a good year for former shelf-stacker Andy Sullivan and the Englishman is off to a good start here, he's signed for a 67. Ricke Fowler in with a 68. Bubba Watson has double-crossed on tee at two, that's miles wide.
Grillo -4 (18), Wood (-1)
Image source, Getty ImagesIn case anyone was wondering who Emiliano Grillo was, the man sitting in second is from Argentina, turned pro in 2011 and won his first PGA Tour event this year. Handy round of 69 from Bristol's Chris Wood, who was forced to withdraw from The Open with a neck injury.