One of Rory McIlroy's biggest issues in majors of recent years has been his sluggish starts.

That's all changed this year: 65 at the PGA Championship, 67 at the US Open and now 66 here.

He's a pretty content man, as you can tell from this clip.

So those big gulls we mentioned (14:21 BST)... this fella is there to prevent them getting too mischievous. Meet Fearnley the eagle.

Time for another dip into the Open archives, and a prime example of the highs and lows of golf.

In the 1995 Open Championship Costantino Rocca secured an incredible birdie on 18 to force a play-off with eventual winner John Daly at St Andrews.

Woah. Tiger Woods is nowhere near dialled in, yet. The birdie putt goes well left and stays there. A par will have to do.

Not the momentum-changer which the three-time champion might have hoped.

Neither Fitzpatrick or Homa can sink their birdie putts and that means it is three of a kind.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Rory McIlroy was talking to 5 Live:

"[His 55ft putt] was a nice way to start the day. I think I had a little bit of adrenalin there on the second shot, but I had seen those putts all morning, a few guys hitting it past the hole. I started it on a good line and speed and it's a bit of luck to have those putts drop and it was certainly a nice way to start."

Pretty flawless round with only one bogey:

"I birdied the holes that you should birdie on this course, the par fives, the driveable par fours for the most part and look - there's holes here that you take your par and run and there's holes here that you can be more aggressive on and I felt I did a good job today being aggressive when I needed to and throttling back when they came as well."

Best part of his game:

"I putted very well, my speed was good for the long putts which is always important around here. I said I've improved that part of my game this year, and I've backed that up today,.

His thoughts on Cameron Young as the clubhouse leader:

"I am six under for the tournament. Whether there is one guy ahead of me or several it is a good start of the tournament for me. It's only Thursday . I've got myself right up there at the start and I need to go out tomorrow and back it up."

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 Live

These mid-afternoon groups going off and there is so much congestion on the course.

It should quicken up as they get past the loop.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Max Homa is persisting with merely a polo shirt despite the skies above St Andrews turning a bit grey - after a sunny few days there’s a slightly bleak feeling in the air, and that’s not just a description of Tiger’s week. The wind is also rippling through the whispy grass on this corner of the Old Course.

Tune in tomorrow for Friday’s weather.

Woods is the first to knock onto the green of the par-five fifth. Boy, he needs a birdie here.

But it's a tricky shot from a valley which is almost as deep as one of the famous St Andrews bunkers.

Woods tries to use the fringe of the green to take the sting out of his chip, but the ball still whizzes pas the flag.

Homa, from some wispy stuff on the right, goes closer.

Contrasting fortunes for two Englishmen of vastly contrasting experience levels.

Within seconds of Paul Casey's dropped shot at the 11th, we see John Parry almost hole out for an eagle at the 17th - woah, that was a stupendous effort, his ball running up the length of the green before nestling two feet away from the pin.

Parry is making his Open debut at the age of 35. He had an eagle on 14 and left himself no more than a kick-in birdie at the Road Hole. He's loving every minute of this - as he should be!

Alistair Bruce-Ball
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

Jordan Spieth is either talking to himself, talking to his caddie, or talking to anyone who will listen.

This three-ball have been waiting on the fifth tee for at least five minutes at this stage.

No wonder today's rounds have been lasting all of six hours.

Remember our chat earlier about the best beard of the Open? Another candidate to challenge John Daly and Lucas Herbert's caddie Nick Pugh has emerged.

Joe Greiner, the man on Max Homa's bag, is sporting face fuzz which you'd have seen on the frontman of a 00s American punk rock band.

Cropped at the sides, lots of length on the chin.

Talking of length, Homa outhits his playing partners after all three find the fairway on the fifth.

Image source, Getty Images

Lydia Hall
Ladies European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

He is just not looking himself. He looks a little bit shy and sheepish. I have seen he has added a little bit of lead tape to his putter but it doesn't seem to be helping on the longer putts.

Not what we were all hoping for, but he has got a par five coming up and hopefully he can pull one back.

Scottie Scheffler is having a superb 2022 and it's showing no signs of slowing up at St Andrews.

The world number one, who won the Masters and was joint second at the US Open, birdies the ninth to reach the turn in four under.

There's a birdie too for Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, which brings him to levels.

Tiger Woods started his round with a splash - but that wasn't a positive.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

We’ve not had too many Tiger roars so far - more collective groans and claps of encouragement from the fans hanging over the ropes to get a glimpse.

They’re yet to witness a real moment of invention from a man who has twice lifted the Claret Jug here.

A long way to go, a lot of golf to play…

Tapping the putter face with your ball is a tell-tale sign of frustration.

That's what Tiger Woods is left doing after missing his effort for par. Not been the start he was hoping for.

Matt Fitzpatrick also three-putts and walks off with a bogey, leaving Max Homa to clean the table with a par.

At least he's smiling.

All feels very flat so far in this stellar group.

Tiger stalks the pin like a lion eyeing up its dinner. A long putt for birdie doesn't have enough ferocity and leaves Woods puffing out his cheeks. Tough one to save par.

From the same side of the green, Max Homa shows his idol how it's done. Hit at a good pace, the ball flirts with the right lip but just misses out.

What can Fitzpatrick do? He's closer but coming from the south, up and over a slope. Hmmm, a bit short.

World number three Jon Rahm has joined the birdie party on the third, and is now together with Jordan Spieth and Harold Varner III on one under.

"I like this, I can hit it."

Matt Fitzpatrick licks his lips as he lines up his approach, caddie Billy Foster in his ear and scribbling notes.

The US Open champion has 220 yards to go on what is probably the toughest hole of the course at the moment.

Jackpot! A lovely swish of a mid-iron leaves the ball short of the flag and both men satisfied with the outcome.

Can Tiger Woods follow suit? Yes! Much better from the former world number one, with Max Homa making it a full house.