Day 1 Highlights Golf: The Open

ired at Muirfield for the British Open Championship. -- gathered at

Muirfield for the British Open Championship. Jack Nicklaus is the

winner of The Open for 1966. Oh my God, straight in the hole for a two.

Tom must keep his concentration. Ernie Els is a champion. Absolutely

fantastic. Welcome to the 142nd Open

Championship held at Muirfield. Over the years, this great golf course

has always produced one of the golfing greats as its champion. The

weather on day one is perfect. Beautiful sunshine, not much wind,

what would the golf be like? Here Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied every

there. Into the wind, as you can see. I wonder what a one-bedroom

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knob there! Here is Jimenez for up speed. A tough day on the lawns.

That went at least two-and-a-half feet further than I thought it was

going to go. There is a little bit of breeze getting up. We are

alongside the water here. Ernie Els eighth green and a good 40-foot er

for a birdie across the green here. good clean lie in the bunker from

go, that was an open door for him to show off his skills. It still had to

be executed. It should be a par. Jimenez finding a little cluster of

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morning, testing out all sorts of APPLAUSE

A wonderful front nine for Jimenez. Mickelson is very confident with his

putting at the moment. He won't divulge what his secret is. Let's

well. That never looked quite natural. Mickelson into the red.

Golf isn't the simple game you think it is. Hello! Poor old cameraman -

he's broken the lens. That is a first. We have never had that

before. The long-hitting Dustin his arms out for a wide there! It is

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coming back. A nice mixed bag. Todd looks. He needs to hole it. Never

looked like it, did it? It's a bit our yesterdays! The years fall away.

What about that? A scarce rare birdie at number eight takes him to

Sit, sit. It should gather from there. It's gathering rather nicely.

I can't believe it. Here is Dustin Johnson. A mighty hitter. 4-under

par. Now, we have three players at brilliant - that takes him to

3-under par. It says Dustin, but it is Zach! This is the fourth shot of

four-way tie for the lead. Angel Cabrera into eight. He gets a nice

kick forward. It still might release. It's great now. He seems to

get a lift for these majors. He gets to a major and he thrives on it.

has used that putter and this method for as long as I can remember now. I

don't know if he has a whole rack of It's not a strong wind today, there

is enough to make you want to be a to run it up the slope. A chance to

get to 4-under par. Rafael Cabrera-Bello - well done, nicely

right in the heart of the cup. hit this hole high. There is more

green behind the flag than there appears. He does hit them hard. Hard

means high and spinning. Oh! Down Championship courses. It is one of a

long and rich history. We will try and tell you a bit about this place

and a few interesting things nearby. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh

Golfers belongs to the oldest official golf club in the world.

Formed in 1744. Things became too cramped and they moved out to

Musselburgh. Musselburgh is where they have played golf for the

longest time, 1672 they beat a ball around with a stick here. It is now

within the confines of the racecourse. One important thing that

Musselburgh has given us is that every hole on every green we play

around the world is 4.25 inches in diameter. The reason it is is

because that was the width of the cutting implement used by the

greenkeeper at Musselburgh. Eventually, things became too

cramped so they moved out to another racecourse. In 1891, 16 holes were

laid out and then another two laid out after that. In 1907 and 1923,

further bits of land were purchased and Muirfield was laid out. The

history of the club and The Royal and Ancient Clubbed together to buy

the original Claret Jug. The first of 15 Open Championships were held

here in 1882. Walter Hagen, Trevino, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Ernie

Els, they are the best golfers who have won here at Muirfield. A lot of

of mistakes. So testing around these Muirfield greens. He is having

it had been a good lie, he could have bumped it into the bank and

then it would have grabbed, but nowhere there. He is like a straw

hat exhibition! As we watch Rory, I'm surprised, Mark, that the scores

aren't a bit lower than they are. Yeah, it's not overly testing, is

it? It is just a breeze. I guess you can be the one to tell the players

Curtis? There is a lot of talk recently he had the lead going into

the last round of the US Open and a lot of talent, if he can control the

APPLAUSE That's a great stroke from Brandt

the edge. This is his birdie putt. These greens are pure! Wonderful

putt! Another birdie for Johnson. He is taking this course by the scruff

of the neck. He's played some wonderful stuff. Mickelson, a long

iron to the 14th. Lovely balance. Good swing, there. Aggressive. It's

on 17. This would leap-frog him up to 3-under par. This is where he has

to take advantage of this golf APPLAUSE

Genius from Johnson. 3-under par. A par at the last for 68. Ernie Els

with a difficult bunker shot. Not Beautifully done. He parred the

first so he is 1-under par. Jordan Spieth, one of his partners. Ernie

Els has had one go, but this is a worse lie. Oi no. That was a -- oh

bit late to be safe. He will be cross. Quite rightly so. Dustin

Go on then. You have gone this far. Oh, oh. That is a stunning stroke

from Couples. A birdie putt here on impressive opening round for Dustin

hitting the ball well. That was a beautifully-controlled shot. A long

It was on the green for a fleeting moment. Not in a bunker? You can't

putt it into a bunker. He's got a miserable stance as well. It's in a

groove, too. The Walk of Shame from a man who has just putted into a

bunker. Yes! Homework was well worth it. The stroke was true and

back-to-back birdies for Phil skilful shot from Nick Faldo. That

was a fantastic effort. APPLAUSEYou have still got it, Nick! This for a

birdie. Yes, right in the middle. Poulter back to level par. He will

be happy with a four up the last for short stuff. It comes out hot. --

Westwood didn't quite make it to the short stuff. It comes out hot. A

tremendous shot from Lee Westwood. Look at this. APPLAUSE This for a

round of 78. He is going to have to wait one, two, a few more weeks for

back. A disappointing finish, but still a 69, one of the better scores

of today. APPLAUSE I hung in there. I made two sloppy bogeys and had a

birdie on seven. Had a chance on nine to get it back to even par.

Didn't make that. I just let a few shots get away from me. A few too

many loose shots and a few sort of, yeah, silly mental errors which cost

me. A quick look at the leaderboard will confirm that it's our friends

from America who are doing particularly well this morning. We

have Zach Johnson at the head of the field. He is just finishing off his

round. And also you will see the name of Phil Mickelson. Much fancied

by many to add to his win last weekend in Inverness at the Scottish

problem adjusting to the firm, fast, but very fair links here at

Muirfield. I don't know what the secret is. I hit solid shots and I

putted really well today. A number of nice saves and nice birdie putts.

I appreciate the game here. I appreciate what this Open demands.

It is my favourite tournament to play. Just because we don't have it

in the States. Here is the Garcia decent putt on the sixth. Second

birdie, no dropped shots. Tiger for a two. Hardly touched it. APPLAUSE

Back to level par. The crowd are with him. Charl Schwartzel - that is

going left. Oh. That was out-of-bounds and off the wall, and

now it's perfect. He should - we should have a bet on him now. Back

to young Jimmy. He looks a tidy player. I don't know whether he is

for some, but not for Graeme McDowell. Well done, Sir. APPLAUSE

The back portion of this ground was extended and narrow with this

fall-off to the back right, which is what has caught Tiger Woods out here

with his second. This is just a testing little shot. It looks as if

it is lying OK, but there is a bit of a sand-filled divot under the

ball, so real precision of strike get you very agitated. Shiv Kapur

here. He birdied the first. It's going to be a second birdie. Let's

give you the leaderboard. Zach Johnson with a 66. Not sure that

will be beaten today. Good scoring, but not great scoring. Mickelson

bogeyed the last. A 69 leaves him in great shape. Every one of these

players was in prime position off the tea. They are all struggling for

par. This is a bogey putt for Woods. APPLAUSE Well done. Very gutsy.

1-over par, but it's been a no. It's back again. Hit the top of

the wall - it may have hit the tree O'Meara. He's done it. Fantastic -

4-under par for the past champion. Always was a great putter in his

day. Second hardest hole on the the cup. He's holed a couple of

savers. After hitting two tee shots he will be over the moon hitting a

four on that hole. We have seen some beautifully-judged putts so far by

McDowell. This one is downhill on the fairway and uphill on the green,

hole he would have took two more to get it in! He knew that was a

two-shot swing. Mark O'Meara, what a Zach Johnson at the top, but the

that? Impressive. Very impressive. Sad news is that you see Louis

Oosthuizen getting on to the buggy. He has withdrawn. We think it's a

ham stRij. He seems unable to continue. So what -- it's a

hamstring. He seems unable to continue. So what a shame. Some

three for Adam Scott. APPLAUSE clipped it perfectly. A birdie

later starters, and what a start he has made. This to go to 5-under par.

No, he has it! He joins Zach Johnson up at the top of the leaderboard.

This is Matthew Fitzpatrick, a young lad we have been following. 1-over

par. We saw his parents being interviewed earlier on this morning.

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nicely. A beautiful shot. APPLAUSE Tiger Woods back to level par.

man who is burning it up on the course is Shiv Kapur, from India.

This is for birdie on the seventh to take the outright lead from Zach

qualifying gets it. APPLAUSE He leads The Open. What a fantastic

start for him on this front nine. He's made six birdies in seven

holes. Extraordinary playing from Shiv Kapur. Back we go. It is going

to be one of his wedges in here. I would expect to see this one - he

will push this in a bit lower. green held. A putt for a three.

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turns into a 73. APPLAUSE disgrace. Charl Schwartzel. Oh, man!

That was a seriously angry golfer. Looking at the colour of this green,

this will be fairly fast down from the back of this 13th green. I don't

think it comes quite as much from the left as you would suppose. It

straightens out at the end quite a a brilliant putt. APPLAUSE This time

for a birdie. He is looking the green, is he? He has. This to be

slightly iffy third and then made a double. It shows the severity of

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seen some monster putts holed today. APPLAUSE Somebody finds the line on

the greens with any speed one of THE finest ball strikers.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Well, at least you don't suffer a bit more! I bet

he was as mad as a march hare going into the sand and then he pops it

in. Westwood for a par four. In she goes. Not bad. Not great. Not out of

Could be in. It is turning. Not a bad effort. Not a bad effort.

birdie for Tiger. That is how things stand at the moment. Zach Johnson in

some time ago with his 66 and Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Mark O'Meara. Only

Shiv Kapur making an impact of the card - one at 15. A 75, not

completely out of it. Not his greatest day in golf. Left to right.

Left edge. Just fantastic. Just the right pace. Centre of the cup. A

brilliant display from Tiger Woods. 69, one of three or four players to

break 70 this afternoon. First day of The Open Championship and Zach

Johnson has taken a one-shot lead ahead of the field here. Amongst the

chasing pack, you have Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker, and former

champions Tom Lehman and Todd Hamilton in the mix, so too at

2-under par, Phil Mickelson. Mark James has been enjoying it all. It's

been a day when the morning starters seemed to have the better of it.

Those who went out struggled badly. Why? Yeah, I mean, this morning

there was more moisture in the greens. There was a bit less wind,

although from 7.00am there was some wind. It wasn't still as it can be.

This morning, you could make a good score. This afternoon, it got

difficult. The greens got baked. It was difficult to putt on. Really

fast in places. This morning, we saw people shoot a few good scores,

Johnson particularly impressive. This afternoon, it was survival.

Some of the well-fancied napes before the Championship began really

have their work to do to be with us -- some of the well-fancied names

before the Championship began really have their work to do to be with us?

Sometimes you attack and it goes wrong. You play defensive and you

see everyone else attack the hole and make birdie. He is having one of

those patches where he can't do anything right. I don't think there

is a lot wrong with his swing, chipping or putting. I think he

needs to keep on working and if you want to compare a video of yourself

now to a year ago, if there is nothing glaring, keep on doing what

you are doing. He is in a fight to be with us for the weekend, Rory

McIlroy. Tiger Woods is well in the hunt after a 2-under par round of

69. The last word has to go to David Duvall, who tweeted, "Hard but fair

at Muirfield today. Stop complaining!" We are not

complaining. We hope you have enjoyed it. We hope you will be with

us at 9.00am sharp in the morning for day two of The Open. Bye for

now. # Summer breeze

# Makes me feel fine # Blowing through the Jasmine in my

mind # Oh