Jordan Spieth lines up on the 14th tee, then walks away from his ball. What's the problem? An orange-jacketed marshall is stood in his eyeline.

"Sir! SIR!" shouts his caddie. Eventually this guy moves. Spieth isn't affected too much, knocking his iron into the heart of the green on the 200-yard par three.

Tweet tweet. Birdie chance.

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Did you know that in 2016, Jason Day had a street named after him in Beaudesert, Queensland, where he spent his formative years.

Day's brilliant 2015 season was recognised but things have been tougher this season. The 2015 US PGA champion has not won a tournament in 2017 and arrives at Royal Birkdale having missed the cut in his last two starts.

Zach Johnson up first in this super group. With a whisk and a clip the ball is on its way and reaches the first cut. No bother from there.

Jason Day, a man who has had a difficult year (more on that shortly), pulls out a one iron. Day is sporting basketball-style golf shoes. His strike is more face plant into the floor than stylish slam dunk. It's in the rough.

And now Sergio, ah Sergio you major winner you. Grey jumper, blue cap, low trajectory and that ball is right in the thick stuff. Ugly.

Justin Rose rattles a putt from the fringes at the back of 12th, it starts off like a steam train then slams on the brakes like it has just seen a red light. He knocks in for a par, keeping within striking distance.

Playing partner Justin Thomas has a crack from an almost identical position. The American does exactly the same. Clearly didn't learn from what he had just seen.

Possibly the marquee group of day one are on the first tee. Zach Johnson, Jason Day and Sergio Garcia - all major winners.

Jordan Spieth cracks his tee-shot on the par-four 13th over the path and into the rough where a line of spectators are stood.

The American is moaning about something. I think he's saying someone stood on his ball. An R&A official agrees the lie of his ball has been hampered, allowing him to drop.

He cracks a wonderful wood towards the green, hitting the target and rolling just past the pin.

Another par for Justin Rose as he gets up and down the 12th in three.

It's 183 yards from tee to flag, with a couple of deep bunkers nestled before the green.

That doesn't prove a problem for Justin Thomas, either. He's found some consistency and is through in regulation.

Iain Carter
BBC Sport golf correspondent at Royal Birkdale

Tommy Fleetwood's golf has been so good this year that he deserved that build-up, but what we didn't look at was his record at The Open - three Opens, three missed cuts.

It's just not happening for him - it's frustrating for him.

He has got good character and is a guy who just over a year ago was below 150 in the world, he has worked incredibly hard to get where he is.

It's just been a really disappointing front nine.

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Martin Kaymer is on the first.

Now here's a man overlooked more and more in the conversation ahead of major championships thesedays. It was only in 2014 that he was scooping the second of his own major titles at the US Open.

Remarkably, after such a solid display in that tournament, he has not won since on any Tour. He was 35th at last month's US Open but arrives at Royal Birkdale having missed the cut at the Scottish Open.

What has happened to Kaymer? And can he turn things rapidly enough to threaten? Today he's out with Tyrell Hatton and Aaron Baddeley.

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JB Holmes may well have a cuddly cover on the big dog but he's struggling a touch at two over after 10 holes.

On the first, Ernie Els begins his day with a birdie. Tweet tweet Ernie. Nice work. His 10 footer or so did a lap of the cup before dropping. Bernd Wieseberger and Ross Fisher alongside him are pars on one.

Apparently that 67 is also Ian Poulter's best start to a major in 54 attempts.

So then... Ian Poulter has the clubhouse lead. Four birdies, just one blemish, in his three-under-par 67.

The Englishman was red hot with the putter, nailing plenty of nerve-testing five to 10 footers for pars.

The 18th is one of a handful of greens where he doesn't pump his fist, instead doffing his cap to an appreciative Birkdale crowd.

Justin Rose hangs his head, he's not that impressed with his third shot on the 11th, guiding it to within a few feet of the pin from the side of the green.

But it gives the Englishman a chance to get back on track after that bogey at the last with a par, and he does just that.

Justin Thomas follows suit. That's four pars on the trot for the American.

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Golf writer Steve Elling tweets: Poulter makes a 6-footer on the last to finish 3 under. He had 22 putts overall. He rolls it like that all week, look out.

Alex Noren goes first from the sand as his group roll up to the final green. The Swede splashes out, the ball trundling towards the hole before veering off slightly right. Looks to be a good save.

Over to Ian Poulter... another exquisite touch from the sand, leaves him within a broomstick handle of a save... He's got it.

Ian Poulter on the last... he's in the first cut on the left of the fairway. The Englishman wants to fade from left to right, but he's undercooked it... in the bunker on the right edge of the dancefloor.

The positive? He's been scrambling sandy pars all day.

Playing partner Alex Noren is about 10 yards to 11 o'clock of his ball. Uh oh. He's played a poor approach, landing in the deeper sandtraps on the left.

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On the tee right now is Ernie Els.

He won the Open Championship as recently as 2012, the last of his four majors. Many would say a tilt at another big title is beyond him at 47 but as we know, older players have done well in this tournament in recent years.

And if Els can get into a good position, he knows how to get it done. He's been in the top 10 at a major 12 times and placed in the top five on 18 other occasions. Throw in 14 PGA Tour wins and 24 on the European Tour and one would think he will know how to keep the nerves in check should his moment come.

This is Jordan Spieth body bumping his caddie Michael Greller. I'm not sure body bumping is the correct term but you know what I mean right? When two people jump and bump bodies in the type of celebration you'd likely see on a basketball court.

Good, glad we've cleared that up.

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I bring this up because it was the celebration which broke out after the last shot Spieth played in a tournament prior to today. His chip into the cup from a bunker sparked wild scenes at the Travelers Championship as it ensured he beat Daniel Berger in a play-off.

What a way to win a tournament. It's worth remembering that Jordan is in hot form. We may see more body bumping.

Selected players:

-2 Stuart Manley

-1 Matthew Fitzpatrick

E Steve Stricker

+1 Danny Willett, Chris Wood

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Alex Noren has crept into the world's top 10 in recent years, and now he has crept up to second on the leaderboard.

His eagle putt arcs around the hole, leaving him with a tap-in for a share of second alongside Wales' Stuart Manley.