Justin Thomas, take a deep breath.

The American has dropped three shots on his opening two holes on Friday after a bogey at the second.

The tie seemed to work yesterday, the camo pants aren't doing the trick today.

Maybe he needs to do a Manchester United of the mid-90s and swap his kit at the half-way mark?

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Brooks Koepka walks with a swagger, his shoulders look like they belong on a God-like statue in Rome somewhere. He looks set to follow a par on one with the same on two as he caresses a ball to near the cup from off the putting surface.

On the third, Henrik Stenson settles down in the sand next to the green. Waggle, waggle, no sight of a smile... he flops out and has a tester for par. Jordan Spieth is next to play and leaves a similar test if he's to tidy up. His lag putt was poorly read, leaving eight feet. Stenson first... misses. Bogey. Spieth... misses too.

There's the Ian Poulter fist pump! Arm surging through the gloomy Birkdale sky - he's saved par on the ninth with a fantastic long-range putt after his approach went wayward.

He loves it, the crowd love it too. Still on three under for the tournament, yet to drop a shot this afternoon.

Let's talk about Justin Thomas' choice of outfit today.

He's gone from one extreme to the other. Cardigan and tie yesterday, camoflauge trousers, pink polo and sleeveless jumper today.

It's like Action Man meets preppy college student.

He's taken the more familiar route to the second flag after hacking around in the bushes at the first - fairway, green...?

Zach Johnson with the most sincere quote of the day...

He shot a fantastic four-under-par 66 in tricky conditions today.

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James Hahn was one of the reserves for a place at the Open this week and as he tees it up, boy does he have a story to tell as someone who knows the realities of life away from golf.

"I graduated college, turned pro and spent all my money and went broke," says Hahn, 35. "I got a job for an advertsiing agency and evenutally ended up selling women's shoes. I suited up, at times I was making more money selling shoes than playing golf.

"When you get away form golf you appreciate the game. You're only able to chase your dreams a couple of times in life. So I saved all my money and got on Tours again. I had an epiphany and thought if I practiced and grinded more than anyone else, spent as much time working on my game as if I was selling women's shoes, I will not regret working hard."

Bubba Watson carded three bogeys and two double bogeys in his round today, but finished just two over par.

He salvaged a potentially damaging round with five birdies in classic Bubba fashion. Always colourful.

Ian Poulter's top is glued to one side of his body as the winds whips from left to right.

The Englishman tries to take that into account on his approach to the ninth, but it doesn't seem to carry and disappears into a scattering of trees behind the flag.

Where did that go?

It's not the prettiest start for Justin Rose. He bogeys the opening hole after missing what looked like a straightforward putt for par.

And it's a double for Justin Thomas, who drops back to one under.

On the opening hole, hunky Brooks Koepka lampoons an iron off the tee. Superb tee shot. Hideki Matsuyama, a slightly more curvy hunk, rips through his down swing and hits the nice short grass. Tommy Fleetwood, dire on Thursday.... "FORE LEFT".

Not the start he wanted. Up on two, Jordan Spieth takes aim at the pin, his third from the fairway, needs it close... gets it close. He rolls in for par.

Justin Thomas has found a bush on the first. He overhits it on his way out and crisscrosses the fairway. That's not good.

It's taken him five shots to get on the green. This could be a double bogey... or worse.

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Henrik Stenson from the fairway, looks like a mid-iron on this second hole, a par four averaging 4.2 shots give or take. Ice Man has the radar honed in and sets up a nice birdie look. Jordan Spieth is building castles in the sand and will only be able to splash out into the fairway... trouble.

Ian Poulter wrenches his sandwedge up behind his head and swallows the expletives he was tempted to let slip...

A moment of frustration, but that's only because he's gone oh-so-close to chipping in from the sand at eight and watched it stay up.

Almost his first birdie of the day.

-6 J Spieth (1)

-5 B Koepka (15:10); -4 M Kuchar (F)

-3 I Poulter (7), T Pieters (2), J Thomas (14:59), R Bland (15:32)

Selected others: -1 R McIlroy (F); +1 J Rose; +2 S Garcia (F), R Fowler (F)

Full leaderboard

Thomas Pieters is up and running for the day with a birdie at the first.

And the Belgian is breaking into a sprint now... another birdie at the second and he's flying up the leaderboard.

Three under for Pieters and into tied fourth.

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This is Jordan Spieth checking his bank balance. He is of course a college drop out but boy has he done well for himself.

He quit education in 2012 to turn pro and in the five years since he has become one of the most marketable sportsmen on earth by the age of 23.

Forbes estimate he has earned $35m (£27m) in the last year alone., external And that's in a year where he has just a couple of wins.

Spieth brings in the bacon by working with 10 global sponsors. He's also now on the front of cereal boxes in US. The brand who have chosen to use him to promote their breakfast goodies have used just three other golfers in the past, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Now that's company.

What did Scotland's Paul Lawrie think of his nine-over-par round today?

John Inverdale
BBC 5 live commentator at Royal Birkdale

I need someone to whisper to me what Justin Thomas is wearing as he comes to the course... hang on... it's a pink short-sleeved shirt, a Gilet and some dramatic trousers.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour player on BBC Radio 5 live

What a great start, marvelous control and Jordan Spieth looks so good with the putter.

You'd love to bottle that stroke.

On the first hole Henrik Stenson' strapping frame is over the ball in the fairway and he hits a cracker into birdie range. Si Woo Kim - less muscular - fizzes one through the green. Jordan Spieth gets his ball in close with a super chip having slammed the ball further than his playing partners off the tee.

Stenson will only make par, his putt lacks the laser line needed. Spieth... 10ft or so for a perfect start... bingo. What a start for the baby faced Texan.