Laurence Nutt: Told the wife I'll do the early shift with our 7 month old so she gets a lie in. But really you're watching the Open #bbcgolf, external#browniepoints, external

Great plan Laurence! Until your cover gets blown...

Danny Willett may not be a popular choice with those fancying a quid or two on a potential Open winner.

The Yorkshireman has struggled with form and fitness since his Masters triumph in 2016, missing three of his past five events with a back problem.

He said he had no intention of pulling out, even if he had "to get a few drugs inside you to get through the week".

The best drug is an opening par. That's what he has popped.

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Talking of a snowman (see Mark O'Meara at 07:00), we checked whether Open debutant Adam Hodkinson - who tees off at 11:15 - knew five key golfing terms.....

If you want to find out about how to get into golf, take a look at the Get Inspired guide.

A couple of dozen men are out on the Lancashire links. Not a single one is in the red.

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"On the tee, from England, Danny Willett!"

The 2016 Masters champion, looking to beat a previous best finish of tied sixth at the Open, receives a warm welcome from the Birkdale crowd. Even Lancashire/Yorkshire rivalry is put to one side here.

The Sheffield man is off safely, striding down the middle alongside playing partners Soren Kjeldsen and Billy Horschel.

We kicked you off with a few Birkdale memories at the very start (see 06:30 entry for those of you only just joining us), and that has whetted our appetite for more.

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It's been 18 years but can we just all pause for a moment and remember Jean Van De Velde please? As far as Open moments go, it never gets old.

In charge of his destiny with a hole to play, all he had to do was keep his ball dry... whoops.

We all have a favourite Open moment - which ones stick in your mind? Tweet us on #bbcgolf.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee is the latest to feel the wrath of the tough opening hole. He pushes his tee-shot right - a la Mark O'Meara and Jeunghan Wang - but, unlike those two, his ball hangs on in play.

However... it is deep in the thick stuff, meaning he can only club out with a mid-iron through a bush just around. He scratches his head in bemusement/frustration. He scrambles for a double-bogey six.

The practice ground is filling up as the rain continues to pile down. The early starters are going to get the worst of the wet stuff.

Here are the next few groups - including some big-name British players - going out to battle the elements...

07:30 Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Billy Horschel, Danny Willett (Eng)

07:41 Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Steve Stricker, Emiliano Grillo (Arg)

07:52 Jason Dufner, Branden Grace (SA), Bryson DeChambeau

08:03 Alex Noren (Swe), Russell Knox (Sco), Ian Poulter (Eng)

Full tee-time here.

Talking of Sir Nick, he marked his actual birthday - two days ago - with a practice round at Birkdale. The perks of being a three-time Open champion, eh? And the fans gathered around the first tee treated him to a special rendition of 'Happy Birthday'. I hope someone remembered the cake.

What's the perfect present for a golf lover who has just turned 60? A day out to the Open.

This new sexagenarian, however, knows a thing or two more about the game than your average punter...

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Solid as a rock. Chris Wood, the Englishman who has produced two top-five finishes at the Open, cans a tiddler of a par putt on the 422-yard second.

Jeunghan Wang digs himself out of a hole with his second ball off the tee, carding a double-bogey six after going off-piste on the first.

Playing partner Sandy Lyle knocks on from in front of the green to within 10 feet, misses his opening putt, taps in for a bogey five.

Ah, dear old Sandy. Scotland's Sandy Lyle, the 1985 champion, is stood on the first tee. He's been here a few times - 41 times to be precise.

"The best player in a waterproof jacket," jokes Paul McGinley. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen Sandy in short sleeves since 1985.

Anyway, he pegs up and goes right with his opening effort. Not as far right as Mark O'Meara thankfully. And not as far right as playing partner Jeunghun Wang.

The 21-year-old South Korean has taken a wrong turn and followed O'Meara out of bounds.

O'Meara's playing partner Ryan Moore doesn't fare much better. The American three-putting on the opening hole, lipping out before knocking in for a double-bogey six.

Thankfully, Chris Wood brings some respectability to the opening group. He knocks in for a par four. Might not see too many of those early doors...

While we're talking about weather... we've just seen a snowman. Unfortunately for Mark O'Meara it is nothing to do with icy precipitation.

The 60-year-old American finally sinks his ball on the first, a 448-yard par-four, for an eight. Or a snowman in golfing vernacular.

Thankfully, we have some good news. BBC Weather's Simon King has provided a brighter update...

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Absolute bucketing it down with rain at the moment. The sort where you step out for five minutes and every item of your clothing gets soaked. And I mean everything.

It is certainly not the glorious sunshine that the players practised in all week.

But, as I've heard someone just say, this is Birkdale not Barbados. They should have expected it...

These lads have drawn the short straw by being dragged in for the early start. I feel their pain.

Here are the next few groups coming up...

06:46 Phachara Khongwatmai (Tha), Maverick McNeally (a), Stuart Manley (Wal)

06:57 Stewart Cink, Sandy Lyle (Sco), Jeunghun Wang (Kor)

07:08 Paul Broadhurst (Eng), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Robert Castro

07:19 Tom Lehman, Byeong Hun An (Kor), Darren Fichardt (SA)

07:30 Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Billy Horschel, Danny Willett (Eng)

Yep, O'Meara's first effort is being picked up by the ball scroungers looking to make a quid or two.

He hacks out of the bunker, then knocks up short on the 448-yard par four. Nightmare start.

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley reckons this will be the hardest hole of the day. Things can only get better, Mark...

Luckily there isn't too much bother for Mark O'Meara's playing partners, Chris Wood of England and American Ryan Moore.

Wood is safely down the middle, Moore pushing right into the first cut of rough.

Moore is wearing a ridiculous hat bu the way. A woolly bobble hat with a peak. Two hats in one.

One man who didn't make the cut into our opening gambit was Mark O'Meara. The veteran American won the 1998 Open at Birkdale (where Justin Rose came to prominence) and today has the honour of teeing off the 146th Open.

Deep breath, pre-shot routine, inner thoughts hoping for a knock down the middle...

Oh. He's pushed it right. Well, right. So right in fact it could be out of bounds and means he has to knock a provisional. That goes left into a cavernous bunker.