It doesn't matter how you do it, it's how many you take. US Open champion Brooks Koepka had to play over the trees with his second but, from short of the green, he has chipped in for a birdie three at the third to get to one under. Don't like to see him spitting though, it's not nice.

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Not one but three...in a row, for three-time major winner Padraig Harrington. The 45-year-old world number 146 made a steady start with five pars from the 10th but then came the dreaded three doubles..and he has the formidable 18th next.

Image source, Reuters

Remember, BBC Sport is broadcasting live coverage of the US PGA Championship across TV, radio and online.

Live TV coverage begins on iPlayer, online and the red button, with the conclusion of each day's play shown on BBC Two.

Coverage times

(All times BST)

Thursday 10 August

18:00-00:15 - BBC Red Button, BBC Sport website, BBC iPlayer

23:15-00:15 - BBC Two

22:00-01:00 - Radio 5 live sports extra

Image source, Getty Images

Plenty of big names in addition to Rory to come later on tonight. Follow us until the end to find out just how they get on. Here is a selection of the main groups:

18:05 A Scott (Aus), L Donald (Eng), W Simpson

18:15 B Horschel, M Fitzpatrick (Eng), S Kim (Kor)

18:25 J Walker, P Mickelson, J Dufner

18:35 R McIlroy (NI), J Rahm (Spa), R Fowler

18:45 M Kuchar, J Rose (Eng), B Snedeker

19:05 R Fisher (Eng), R Cabrera Bello (Spa), R Moore

So what about Rory's chances?

The 28-year-old world number four has won this title twice, the most of recent of which in 2014 was his last major to date - and he has won on this course twice, when it hosted the Wells Fargo Championship.

He shared fourth place at The Open last month where he effectively gave the field a five-stroke head-start with those wretched opening six holes.

In the WGC Invitational last week, he averaged a staggering 328.7 yards off the tee at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, where he finished in a share of fifth.

His first ever PGA Tour victory in 2010 came at Quail Hollow at the age of just 20 and he won again with a seven-shot triumph in 2015, which contained a course record 61. That was before the course alterations but the bookies have made him favourite and we will see how Rory and his new caddie get on in a couple of hours from now.

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Even the Big Easy is not finding it as serene as he usually does. Four-time major winner Ernie Els, now 47 and world number 419 - how is someone with a swing as majestic as his as low as that? - has a best finish in this event of third in 2007.

But after starting at the 10th he has had two double bogeys and is six over after 11 holes.

Fabrizio is not bringing up the rear though, that unfortunate tag belongs to American Scott Hebert, who began at the 10th with a double bogey and has has recorded a further eight bogeys.

Poor old Fabrizio Zanotti has got some work to do. The 34-year-old Paraguayan, world number 103, racked up a triple bogey eight and played his first 11 holes in nine over. Not sure if he's booked to stay at the hotel for the weekend but it might be an idea to look at the early cancellation policy.

So often we have seen the putter bail out Jordan Spieth when in trouble but not this time.

Unlike his playing partner Sergio Garcia, the American fought his way through the Green Mile dropping just the single shot but now he's let another go on the first.

That bogey takes the 24-year-old to one over par for his round so far.

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Two Americans at the top in the North Carolina sunshine now, Gary Woodland and Jim Herman, ranked 44 and 96 respectively, both minus three after 11.

6,4,6 sounds like an area code but it is what Masters champion Sergio Garcia has accumulated at the three Green Mile holes. He has dropped a shot at the next as well and he's five over.

Image source, Reuters

Ian Poulter: Despite being on the verge of losing his card on the PGA Tour, a promising start at Royal Birkdale saw Poulter in the late groupings for day three at The Open.

He eventually finished in a share of 14th but he made a wretched start here, with a double bogey at his first hole, the 10th, and he's three over after 11.

Image source, Getty Images

* indicates a 10th tee start

-3 Woodland (8)

-2 Finau (11); Herman (9); Casey (8*); Olesen (8) Lingmerth (4*);

-1 Matsuyama (9*); Wood (9*); D. Johnson (6) Westwood (6*)

E Fleetwood (9*); Koepka (8*); Spieth (8*)

+1 Stenson (7*); Day (7*); Thomas (10*)

Selected others

+2 Garcia (8*); +3 Poulter (11*); +5 Pieters (8); -6 Els (11*)

Plenty of Brits out on the course at the moment and the best start was made by 40-year-old Paul Casey, who has nine top-10 finishes in the majors but has yet to land one. He began his round at the 10th hole and topped the leaderboard by reaching three under after five holes before dropping a shot at the par three 17th.

Ouch!published at 16:15 British Summer Time 10 August 2017

16:15 BST 10 August 2017

The third member of that group, US Open champion Brooks Koepka, has made a solid enough start despite a wayward drive on the 16th.

The drive hit a marshal but thankfully the gentleman seems to be OK and got a signed glove for the trouble...

Masters champion Sergio Garcia is not enjoying the Green Mile, he has double bogeyed the 16th and bogeyed the 17th, so he's two over for the Championship.

As is customary at the US PGA, Open champion Spieth is in a group with the two other major champions of the year; Masters winner Sergio Garcia and US Open champion Bruce Koepka. They began their first rounds at the 10th tee at 13:25 BST and have reached the ninth, Spieth beginning with five pars.

He birdied the opening par five but then dropped a shot at the next and is level par.

Image source, Getty Images

This will be the penultimate staging of the US PGA Championship in August after it was announced on Tuesday that the event will be held in May from 2019.

So there will be one major a month from April to July and The Open will represent a player's final chance of a big one in the year.

The US PGA actually began as a matchplay event in 1916, reverting to strokeplay in 1958, has been contested in July or August every year apart from 1971, when it was staged in February.

What do you think about the changes? Who's your tip for this year's title, and why? Let us know at #bbcgolf , externalor text 81111.

Despite the decent forecast, it has been wet underfoot, as Will Perry - who is reporting for BBC Radio 5 live - discovered earlier...