Rose can't sink that par putt, dropping his first shot of the day to fall off the early lead.

In front on 7 is Henrik Stenson, the defending champion clipping his tee shot on the par three pin-high. The Swede confidently drills into the centre of the hole for birdie-bogey-birdie.

Is Justin Rose's place alongside at the top, alongside his great mate Ian Poulter, in jeopardy?

The Englishman knocks his tee-shot into trouble on the par-four sixth, into the thick stuff on the right of the fairway. He finds his ball, but has to take a drop because it is unplayable.

Then he goes from the wayward to the wonderful. He plucks out a fairway wood, cracks it out of the trouble on to the green.

BBC Radio 5 live

The Radio 5 live team have been discussing the delights of links golf.

Des Smyth: Links golf is unpredictable but I don't think it's any harder. You either enjoy it or you don't. It's a hard transition, you have to hit it lower and manipulate the ball, there is some speciality involved and you have to adapt.

Iain Carter: Links golf is the most fun to play. You have to use the contours and the elements. Sometimes it can be easy if the weather is friendly but you're by the sea and if the weather is against you it can become the hardest golf you play. It's a wonderful form of golf.

Jay Townsend: You have to be so creative, it's not basic golf and it should always inspire you. It gives you choices and it makes it fun and that's why Americans like it.

Send us your thoughts via #bbcgolf

He's back! Don't worry Ken fans. Our man in the know is always on the course...

Henrik Stenson chops his way out of bother on the par-four sixth, knocking to within makeable distance on the dancefloor. The Swede buries his putt, but it does not stop him wiping out that birdie on the previous hole and going back to level par,

Image source, Reuters

What. A. Man! Stuart Manley finishes eagle-birdie on his maiden Open round, the Welshman sinking a monster of a putt on the last for a share of the lead.

The world number 520 is the early clubhouse leader. He'll enjoy his cheese and pickle sandwich in front of the television in the clubhouse.

Image source, Reuters

Tidy. Justin Rose goes up and down from that bunker at the back of the sixth green, saving par and saving his place at the top of the leaderboard.

Back on six, Justin Thomas clips out of the bunker on the left side of the green, splashing over grass like someone has turned on a sand sprinkler. Should be a bread and butter par.

Uh oh, Henrik Stenson is grimacing. You know it is bad when the stone-faced Swede shows some emotion. He shouts 'Fore!' as his approach on six goes left towards the crowd horseshoed around the green. Rather optimistically, it turns out. The defending champion's ball sails over them into the thick stuff.

Image source, Reuters

Let's touch in with the frontrunners...

Justin Rose on five... a wedge in from a nice angle... ah, it's hit a downslope and whistles by the hole. Plop. In the sand. That's unlucky.

Well in front is Ian Poulter on 12. Again he has just missed the green by a whisker, knocking a chip and run that touches the left lip. The trapdoor doesn't bite.

Image source, PA

Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live golf expert

Jordan Spieth has not really recovered from the Masters when he lost a five-shot lead on the final day, but he is playing really well now and his last outing was a win and he also had a good finish at the US Open.

He has the game and mentality to do well and it's going to be a grinder's week because of the conditions.

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Royal Birkdale

Anoraks and fleeces around the third green as Jordan Speith parachutes his ball into the guts of the putting surface.

The natural banks around this course provide an ideal grassy grandstand for the spectators following this group, although Spieth is the only one within eyeshot brave enough to wear white trousers.

The first eagle of the 2017 Open Championship goes to.... *drum roll please*...

Stuart Manley! The Welshman, on his major debut, makes it a day to remember at Birkdale with an eagle on the 17th.

Manley flicks out of the bunker to the right of the green, and a skip, a check and a roll later he hears ball hitting cup.

That moves him into the seven-man pack a shot adrift of Justin Rose and Ian Poulter.

13:04 Zach Johnson, Jason Day (Aus), Sergio Garcia (Spa)

13:26 Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott (Aus), Paul Casey (Eng)

14:48 Rory McIlroy (NI), Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel (SA)

14:59 Jon Rahm (Spa), Patrick Reed, Lee Westwood (Eng)

15:10 Phil Mickelson, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Marc Leishmann (Aus)

15:21 Scott Hend (Aus), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Bubba Watson

And the last group?

16:16 Ryan McCarthy (Aus), Laurie Canter (Eng), Sebastian Munoz (Col)

So live golf to enjoy until 9pm...

Image source, Getty Images

Henrik Stenson, Zach Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Darren Clarke are the last six men to lift the Claret Jug and it seems experience is a key component of Open success in the current climate.

Does that rule out the young guns? Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, we're looking at you.

And here's further encouragement for the Justin Rose fans out there...

Justin Rose says winning this week would "kind of close the book in a way" on his Open Championship story.

The Englishman famously chipped in on the 18th at Birkdale in 1998, when he finished fourth as a 17-year-old amateur.

Now, the 36-year-old is hoping to nail his second major title after winning the 2013 US Open. He's going the right way about it.

Rose sinks a birdie putt on the third, a slight grin appearing soon after. What a start.

Some players go to extreme lengths to read a green. Stuart Manley is definitely going to have a wet grass stain on his right knee.

The Welsh player gets up close and personal with the Birkdale dancefloor - he's one-over for the day through 16 after a bright start.

Image source, Getty Images

-2 Poulter (10)

-1 Rose (2), Spieth (3), Plant (a) (5), Henley (7), Thomas (2), Matsuyama (2), Lowry (1)

E Stenson (3), Fitzpatrick (11), Harrington (4)

A more extensive leaderboard is available here.

Smart threads and smart golf from Justin Thomas. He opens up with a par and birdie to join an ever-growing cluster of men behind early leader Ian Poulter.

Has Justin Thomas just rolled in from a night out in Blackpool? He looks like he has just been to the Winter Gardens for a business function with a smart-casual dress code.

Crisp white shirt, buttoned-up cardy, black tie and ironed navy slacks. Not sure about the cap though.

Image source, PA