Lee Westwood is finishing off his round in the shadow of the grandstand at the 18th.

He's got a long, searching putt to make birdie and it flies beyond the pin, but is still greeted with warm applause from the crowd.

Jon Rahm looks furious, and not just because he's finally had to put on his jumper on for the cool Southport evening, more on that in a second...

He finishes with a par.

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Marc Leishman makes his fourth birdie of the day to reach one under on 17. Phil Mickelson alongside him sends a snaking putt which leaves a tap in par. Lefty has his 46% of his fairways and 47% of his greens. Not good enough if you don's have the putter hot to bail you out.

Jordan Spieth by comparison hit over 80% of his greens in regulation.

Ladies and gents, the body language of a man five over par who goes on to end the day one over par.

Rory will be bang up for tomorrow.

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There's only a handful of fans following Rafa Cabrera-Bello and co as they reach the 17th tee - most will have made for the 18th grandstand by now.

Those that have stuck with the Spaniard will also get to see Bubba Watson, complemented by pink driver and bright green golf ball.

Bubba's card is just as colourful, littered with red and blue, putting the American at one under.

BBC Radio 5 live

Paul Casey is the leading Englishman on four under par, a shot off the lead.

He has revealed that he went cycling through the Italian Dolomites to prepare for The Open.

"It is an unconventional hobby," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It is what I do to get away from golf. I have been banned from extreme things like snowboarding or skiing. I take cycling very seriously, it is a passion of mine and helps clear the mind. All work and no play makes Paulie a dull boy."

Casey celebrates his 40th birthday on Friday and says he can't think of a better way to mark his milestone.

"It is really cool, I have always loved this week as my birthday is around it. i don't mind working on my birthday.

"Royal Birkdale is one of my favourite links course, maybe the best in the world. I love being back in England and what a way to spend my birthday doing what I love to do and things are just getting going."

Let's all return to equilibrium after that Rory McIlroy fightback. Charl Schwartzel followed his birdie into the hole to bring up four under. A great round.

As someone who has backed Schwartzel over the years though, I am more than aware he loves nothing more than raising your hope only to throw in a couple of doubles and triples tomorrow. For now though Charl, terrific.

Speaking of those who raise your hope and fall on their face, here are some Paul Casey comments...

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Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live golf expert

That was an unbelievable round to shoot 71 after the first six holes and the way he was hitting it through the first eight holes. That is a phenomenal round.

McIlroy was five over after six holes.

Iain Carter
BBC Sport golf correspondent at Royal Birkdale

Image source, PA

Well done Rory McIlroy. What a fight back on the back nine. He punches the air. He is very aware of this. He fought back brilliantly and fist bumps his caddie.

McIlroy drains his 15 footer. What a round, he looked utterly lost for nine holes. You can listen to Iain by clicking 'live coverage'.

All aboard the Rafa Cabrera-Bello Express.

The Spaniard has left it late, but he's chugging towards the top of that leaderboard with successive birdies at 15 and 16.

That takes him to four under par, one off the lead, with the 17th to come...

The bright white clubhouse looks on over this 18th green as Dustin Johnson lines up a long birdie putt of around 30ft. His lean figure hunches over the ball and his touch is good, though the line is a tad off. Par and a round of 71.

The world number one has been unspectacular.

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Jon Rahm is rewarded for being aggressive from the rough at the 17th.

He fires one low towards the green from the longer stuff, it flirts with a greenside bunker, almost skirting the perimetre of the sand, and then nestles eight feet from the pin.

Back in the game.

The 18th fairway is where the action is right now. Charl Schwartzel first from the fairway, a brilliant strike to leave 10ft for birdie. Dustin Johnson... leaves a long putt on the dancefloor. Not a great day for the world number one. Rory McIlroy, pulls it a touch but the slope on the green brings his ball back into birdie range.

If you're just tuning in, today we saw some naughty clobber on the likes of Justin Thomas, John Daly and Jason Day. So we want your images of golfing attire, good or bad.

Ross, we like this. The gent on the right's jumper is a joy and his shin-length slacks are a garment we should all own.

Keep them coming to #bbcgolf.

Kevin Na nearly wiped out that double bogey at the 13th with back-to-back birdies. 'Nearly' being the operative word, the second didn't quite drop.

If he'd hovered over that putt a second longer, the Birkdale breeze might've blown it in... it was balanced that delicately on the rim of the cup.

Image source, Getty Images

Golf is a strange old game isn't it. When you think of how dark Rory McIlroy's round looked at the turn, he's now a shot ahead of Phil Mickelson. Lefty has been scrapping away without the eye-catching wobbles of McIlroy yet he's three over as he walks onto the par-five 17th. He badly needs a birdie.

Marc Leishman dropped one on 16 so joins Mickelson on the tee at level par.

On 18, Rory laces his ball into the fairway. If he walks out of here with a birdie and a round of 71, he should be given the freedom of Southport after the start he had.

David Lipsky finished a massive 22 over at the Scottish Open last week, so gave himself this advice...

And it seems to have worked. A few days later, and the 29-year-old American is two under after the first day.

How's that for a change in fortunes.

Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live golf expert

Coming from five over after six holes, Rory McIlroy has really fought back.

People were asking me if he should withdraw after the first round becuase he would be so far out, but he has showed a lot of heart after a terrible start.

He has fought back bravely and played a really good back nine.

That is a good birdie four and that gets him into a good position. He has a smile on his face and he knows he has played himself back into things.

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My colleague who raised the prospect of a bet on Rory McIlroy at 100-1 is now fuming as he's into 33s and I think I talked him out of going for it when Rors was five over.

Charl Schwartzel goes good drive, solid second, delicate chip, tap in putt. That equals birdie on the par-five 17th. Expertly navigated.

Dustin Johnson goes booming drive, solid iron, putt from the fringe, four foot for birdie but he misses. His ball rolls around the cup and almost drops. What a waste.

And now Mr McIlroy. Super drive, iron into the heart of the green, putt he doesn't like and then a blow in for his birdie. Fighting back. Kudos sir.

That's a birdie for Rafa Cabrera-Bello. The Spaniard looking as cool, calm and collected as ever.

Shades on, he skittles a putt up to within a few feet of the pin and then sinks it without even a flicker of a nerve to move to three under par with three shots to play.

A late non-American contender for the lead on day one?

Image source, EPA