Matt Kuchar will have to work for a decent score on the 15th.

The American caught the rough stuff, but wasn't deterred by some coarse links overlay and pitched up on to the green. It's a long, uphill birdie opportunity that would take him into the lead...

No. Not here. A tap-in for par instead. Three to go to find the outright lead.

Paul Casey lashes a drive down the 16th and scoops his tee up without a second thought, that's settling nicely on the fairway.

Elsewhere, Ernie Els is home in 68 - two under par - after a bogey at the 18th.

Image source, Getty Images

This is the last tournament Sergio Garcia will play as a free man.

Next week, the Masters champion will marry Angela Akins.

The Claret Jug dispensing Sangria at a wedding would be pretty sweet eh?

I wonder where Sergio had his stag. It looks like he's still hungover from it.

Sergio Garcia is going along like a wild animal wounded by Lion attack. There is quite simply not a lot of life there. A double-bogey on 16 brings more pain, his bogey effort lipping out.

I call this type of image an 'eye stinger'.

But Will, thank you for sending it in. You all look brilliantly uncoordinated.

Keep sending your golf gear images to #bbcgolf.

Image source, PA

On the 14th, a par three, Charley Hoffman just takes aim at the pin, he's showing these 200 yards no mercy. A corker of a tee shot leaves 12ft for birdie and like a laser, he sends that ball home. Four under for the smiling San Diego man.

BBC Sport commentator Ken Brown is given a fright as he surveys the seventh hole at The Open at Royal Birkdale.

Paul Casey stands over a birdie putt, straight-faced, sure-handed and looking like a man in complete control.

It's a tricky read, too tricky. He won't be picking up a shot there. The Englishman's poker face drops, flushed out by an air of frustration.

He's carded four successive pars since that bogey at the 11th.

Charl Schwartzel on the 10th, he's been decent today and his latest iron is decorated with joy. Just three feet left for birdie after that missile of an iron. It looks like Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy will make pars. Now, Schwartzel, in a pink shirt, in she goes.

Tweet, tweet.

In case you're just joining us. Ian Poulter was among the early starters and the Englishman shot his best opening round in 54 majors. He hit a three-under-par 67 and here are his best bits...

That's rough for Martin Laird. A par putt to make it home at three under.

He's got the pace and the trajectory, but the ball decides it's not dropping... almost boomeranging it's way around the cup and flinging itself back towards the Scot.

He'll drop a shot, and will have to settle for a two-under-par opening round.

Kooch on the tee for the par-five 15th. That's drawing right, and it finds the rough. He doesn't look too distressed, it's more than playable.

Paul Casey, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott are all in the group behind. The latter two level for the day, while England's Casey sits at two under - ground to be made in the final few holes?

Ken, Newcastle: I've been waiting all day to watch Rory but it's so painful at the moment. Golf is such a see-saw game. Hope it improves for the boy.

The body language of a man wishing he was just at home, with a box of biscuits, watching Love Island.

Image source, Getty Images

Rors has a decent look at the green despite finding fans off the tee. He whips one onto the dancefloor but leaves plenty to do.

When a ball lands in the rough, why do spectators insists on running to then huddle around it? I don't get it and never will. Anyway, it's Rory McIlroy's ball which is wayward off the 10th tee. This par four is averaging 4.1 strokes, so it's a tester.

Charl Schwartzel and Dustin Johnson find the nice decking off the tee.

In all we have 35 players under par. McIlroy though is 10 off the lead after 10 holes. Dire stuff.

Image source, PA

Matt Kuchar strokes one off the tee and it nestles to the left side of the green. He's maybe 15/16 feet from the pin, but a birdie here would take him into the outright lead...

It's not quite got the legs, another few revolutions required for that to find its target.

-5 Spieth (after 18), Koepka (after 18), Kucher (13)

-3 Poulter (after 18), Thomas (after 18), Bland (after 18), Connelly (after 18), Els (16), Hoffman (12)

-2 Manley (after 18), Noren (after 18), Matsuyama (after 18), Casey (14)

-1 Fitzpatrick (after 18), Stenson (after 18), Pieters (after 18), Day (15), A. Johnston (after 18)

E Stricker (after 18), Henley (after 18), Scott (14), Fowler (14), D. Johnson

Selected others:

+1 Danny Willett (after 18), +1 Rose (after 18), +3 Garcia (15), +2 Mickelson (7), +5 Mcilroy (9), +6 Fleetwood (after 18), +8 Oosthuizen (after 18)

Full leaderboard available here.

Gary Player is a fan of the tie and cardigan look...

Paul Christie: How has it got this bad for Mcilroy? Putting hasn't been good enough for two years but where has the rest of his game gone.

Rory McIlroy has a birdie putt, sound the klaxon!

In fact, all three in this group do on the ninth. Charl Schwartzel first... didn't hit it. McIlroy next... pulls it. Dustin Johnson, to move under par.. this is from range... well short. He saves par well though, ramming one home.

McIlroy makes the turn in 39. Poor guy is feeling it.