Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at St Andrews

The ninth is proving the easiest hole on the course right now.

It's a driveable par-four hole and the pros are ripping it up. Of the first dozen to play it, there have been nine birdies and Ian Poulter's eagle two, with just two pars.

The wind is yet to get up though.

Not too much longer to wait for Rory McIlroy - who says he's happy enough being one of the favourites to win the Open Championship at St Andrews.

"My performances in the majors [this year] have been so much better than they have been over the last few years and that gives me so much encouragement," McIlroy told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Hello! That one caught the imagination of the fans overlooking the fifth green. A roar for John Daly, who shows the touch of a former Open champion with a delightfully deft little clip up to within a foot or so or the pin. He was playing blind out the valley guarding the green there too.

Bryson DeChambeau was met with a tricky lie for his second, ball way beneath his feet, and ended up close to Daly, following a similar line to his fellow American up the slope. Birdies on the menu.

Ed Hills: No surprise to see Barclay Brown up there - had the best possible prep last week at the European Amateur Team Champs at a dry and fast Royal St George’s.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at St Andrews

We've all been down beside the seaside and, feeling peckish, ordered a carton of chips to put you on until teatime. But then, watched helplessly as a sneaky seagull swoops in from above and helps itself to your tucker.

Well, that's not happening at St Andrews. Enter the eagle owl. It's here specifically to patrol the skies and frighten off the chancers. Now that's a birdie we all want to see!

Image source, BBC Sport

Wow! From nowhere, and after that horror start, Ian Poulter now leads The Open after holing his second shot at the par-four ninth for an eagle!

After firing his drive up to the edge of the green - it's an absolute monster of a putt that goes right across the full width of the putting surface and rattles into the pin.

That's a 54-yard putt according to shot tracking.

St Andrews just shows Webb Simpson why you need to be on our guard at all times, as one bad swing can cost you plenty of shots.

Simpson finds the rough on 12 and has an impossible chip out of the rough with huge hollows and swales in between himself and the hole.

He actually does well with his escape but can't then get down in two and makes a bogey.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Bryson, with his initials B.A.D emblazoned on his greens book and carefully showing just above the pocket line on his trousers, digs out a couple of cans of water from the players’ coolly box at the fifth tee and filters them into his water bottle with impresssive precision. Once a scientist…

His booming drive brings enthusiastic chuckles from the fans gathered around the tee box. A pretty positive reception for the LIV man so far.

OK, so the big question of the day, who has the best beard in golf?

Is it former Open champion John Daly, or Lucas Herbert's caddie Nick Pugh?

Thumbs up for Daly, thumbs down for Pugh.

Or, of course, tweet us using #bbcgolf for another...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland at St Andrews

A throaty roar goes up from the grandstand behind the second as home favourite Bob MacIntyre chases his birdie putt into the cup after a delightful approach. There’s a wee bounce in the Scot’s step as he lollops to the third tee…

Image source, Getty Images

Young amateur Barclay Brown holds a share of the lead at The Open as he birdies the seventh and ninth to move to two under.

Incredible start by the 21-year-old, who won the Final Qualifying event at Hollinwell at the end of June to book his place at St Andrews.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

DeChambeau and Daly having a right good natter as they stroll down the fourth. Bryson all hand gestures, Daly the most casual man in St Andrews - despite leaking his drive right.

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland at St Andrews

After a reassuringly crisp approach, Bob MacIntyre slips his putt purposefully past. A rueful glare at his ball follows before the Scot makes sure of his opening par.

Image source, Getty Images

We want all your thoughts and comments about the 150th Open, so make sure you get involved on Twitter, and we'll post the best ones right here.

So, are you going to St Andrews this week? Are you there now? What's the best vantage point?

And who is your pick for the Claret Jug come Sunday?

Let us know using #bbcgolf on Twitter.

Image source, Getty Images

That's what Tiger Woods said about a baked-out St Andrews that's got a lot more brown than green on it after the hot weather recently.

"Fast and fiery" is another phrase you'll hear a lot of, and that will make it such a tough test as that run on the fairways can lead to trouble.

This should be fun...

Image source, Getty Images

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at St Andrews

There has been lots written about the slow pace of play in golf tournaments in recent years but those out this morning appear to be bucking the trend.

Paul Lawrie struck the first tee shot at 06:35. Two hours later, he was sinking a birdie putt on the par-four ninth. In fact, it was birdies all round for his group and that sees Webb Simpson out in a very healthy three-under 33 to retake the sole lead.

A four-hour round is almost unthinkable though - as more players get out on the course, the pace of play will inevitably slow given the tightness of the track, but it's encouraging nonetheless.

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland at St Andrews

Bob MacIntyre, resplendent in pale green, is met with a fair old noise before spanking an iron safely down the first fairway. “Mon Boab,” shouts an especially vocal fella in the grandstand.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Imagine being Rikuya Hoshino of Japan. You are top of the reserve list to play in The Open and you go to bed on Wednesday night thinking it's all been a bit of a wasted journey.

Then, you get a call. "Hello Mr Hoshino, can you be on the tee for 08:14. We can squeeze you in for at least a couple of rounds..."

Here's the confirmation from the R&A: Justin Rose has withdrawn from The 150th Open at St Andrews due to a back injury. He will be replaced by Rikuya Hoshino of Japan.

The next player on the reserve list is: Aaron Rai

I wonder how the Englishman is feeling? Is he hoping somebody stumbles down their stairs this morning, or tweaks a muscle on the driving range? The final tee off this afternoon is 16:16, so he's got a long day of waiting ahead.

And spare a thought for Alex Noren, who was first alternate before Hoshino but he jetted off to play at the Baracuda instead!

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Tringale and Daly are playing sociable golf - so much so the latter had to mark his ball on the fairway at the third, they were that close after their tee shots.

We'd spotted Bryson DeChambeau out early this morning working on his putter - well it's not worked as he's just missed from three feet to make a bogey on the second.

That's after missing from about four feet for a birdie on the first, not exactly the start you want with putting so crucial this week.