Day 1

:01:21. > :01:26.Good morning, this is the scene on the first morning of the Open

:01:27. > :01:31.Championship. Strong sunshine and hardly a breath of wind. Well, eight

:01:32. > :01:35.years ago, Royal Liverpool's parched fairways were scorched by the sun

:01:36. > :01:40.and by the relentless control of Tiger Woods on his way to a third

:01:41. > :01:46.open title. Now he's back, and so are we, at Hoylake. And this is what

:01:47. > :01:52.they are playing for, the most beautiful and coveted trophy in

:01:53. > :01:56.golf. It's the old claret jug. Play began at 6:25am, and now we are just

:01:57. > :02:01.moments away from seeing Tiger Woods get underway in what would be only

:02:02. > :02:08.his third competitive round since back surgery in late March. You want

:02:09. > :02:41.box office at the open? We've got it this morning.

:02:42. > :02:47.And it will be fascinating to see how he and everyone else in this 156

:02:48. > :02:56.strong field fares this week. Tiger still rated at 20-1 to win here

:02:57. > :02:59.again at Hoylake. He is playing alongside Angel Cabrera and world

:03:00. > :03:04.number two, Henrik Stenson of Sweden. 11 hours of live golf

:03:05. > :03:07.stretches before us today. Andrew Cotter and Peter Alliss can't wait

:03:08. > :03:14.to get going in the commentary box. Good morning. COMMENTATOR: You are

:03:15. > :03:19.quite right, my heart is pumping, I am like an old warhorse pouring the

:03:20. > :03:24.ground and sniffing the air. Many people have been waiting for this

:03:25. > :03:32.fellow to turn up. I'm surprised he has done as well as he has, without

:03:33. > :03:37.opening with a birdie. But there I say it coming is loved by many here

:03:38. > :03:42.today. They forgive him his scowling and spitting, and they have really

:03:43. > :03:46.come to see him do well. What a cracking three ball. It's the most

:03:47. > :03:50.beautiful morning. Phil Parker will be following this game, enjoying the

:03:51. > :04:04.sunshine which I hope will stay there for about three or four hours

:04:05. > :04:16.at least. One of the things to look out for as well is, how many times

:04:17. > :04:25.will he use his driver to date? -- today.

:04:26. > :04:32.The members play this hole as the 17th, but it has been jigged around

:04:33. > :04:37.because of the grandstands and one thing and another, so it is a pretty

:04:38. > :04:42.good opening hole. It has been made a little easier over the past 30

:04:43. > :04:51.years or so, moving the green further away from the out of bounds.

:04:52. > :05:06.OK. On the tee from Argentina, Angel

:05:07. > :05:10.Cabrera. This is the contrast, in 2006 he had a very good finish, and

:05:11. > :05:15.he used his driver as often as he wanted, he smashed his way round

:05:16. > :05:24.here. Where is Tiger Woods was iron most of the way. -- whereas Tiger

:05:25. > :05:29.Woods was. Well, he won in America a week or two back, and he is in good

:05:30. > :05:51.form. Strikes a blow for those who don't go to the gym. Cracks it away.

:05:52. > :06:01.Huge. On the tee from Sweden, Henrik Stenson. Many people 's pick. Form

:06:02. > :06:26.starting to come good this season. After the heroics of last year.

:06:27. > :06:39.There we are. Different ways of doing it. All in pretty good

:06:40. > :06:43.position. I get the feeling that this is going to be a rather special

:06:44. > :06:49.Championship. Huge crowds have been here for the practice days. I don't

:06:50. > :06:52.think I have ever seen a bigger looking tented village. And the

:06:53. > :06:57.grandstand around the 18th is incredible. It looks like the

:06:58. > :07:09.back-end of a football stadium or. Absolutely sensational. Much will

:07:10. > :07:17.depend on the weather. -- back end of a football stadium or Wimbledon.

:07:18. > :07:22.STUDIO: At the 1st hole earlier today, Matteo Manassero, his third

:07:23. > :07:28.shot at the par-4 first. And... Well, that's the way to do it, isn't

:07:29. > :07:32.it? Straight in. That's the way to make an opening birdie. He was the

:07:33. > :07:38.leading amateur in 2009. He would birdie another at the 3rd. Dawie Van

:07:39. > :07:43.Der Walt had eagled the fifth, the first of the par-5 holes, and here

:07:44. > :07:47.he is at the 7th. The man who headed the Sunshine Tour in South Africa

:07:48. > :07:52.last year. Getting very close and setting up a birdie. Marc Leishman

:07:53. > :07:57.comedy was joined by the Aussie, the heroics of last year 's Masters you

:07:58. > :08:08.might remember -- Marc Leishman, he was joined. On in two, and he would

:08:09. > :08:14.make a birdie, so he dives down to 2-under par as well as the South

:08:15. > :08:19.African. Welcome to the party to Kiradech Aphibarnrat. He would go to

:08:20. > :08:28.the top of the boards as well. They are making hay at the opening par-5.

:08:29. > :08:31.And Brooks Koepka, the man who had a top five finish at the recent US

:08:32. > :08:38.open, started very well. He is 2-under par as well. This is the

:08:39. > :08:42.situation as we join it. Six of them at 2-under par, and we have had our

:08:43. > :08:46.first eagle courtesy of Dawie Van Der Walt. So it looks good in the

:08:47. > :08:50.scoring charts, and it should be. Hardly a breath of wind, beautiful

:08:51. > :08:54.temperatures, forecast to go up to 23 degrees today. We could have a

:08:55. > :09:00.puff of wind at about three o'clock, ten to 15 mph, but really nothing in

:09:01. > :09:07.relative terms. It is the day to make a score, it would appear.

:09:08. > :09:17.COMMENTATOR: There is a little bit of Greece, as you would expect. -- a

:09:18. > :09:31.little bit of breeze, as you would expect. Now, the Green used to be 20

:09:32. > :09:34.or 30 yards nearer to us. Only a couple of strands of wire on the

:09:35. > :09:40.right, and too many balls were going through onto the road and the

:09:41. > :09:41.houses. So they moved the green back, and in fact made it a little

:09:42. > :10:17.easier. Here is Tiger's second. Oh dear. Down, down in the bunker.

:10:18. > :10:27.That's the price for laying back off the tee. Down in the sand. Darren

:10:28. > :10:44.Clarke. Four stone lighter than the former figure. This is to get to

:10:45. > :10:45.level. Slip of a lad. 2011 champion. Stimson's second to the opening

:10:46. > :11:08.hole. Looks like a medium iron, five, six,

:11:09. > :11:19.seven, that sort of thing. And he... Over there? I think he was down in

:11:20. > :11:24.the front left bunker. This is what Cabrera did in 2006, took his

:11:25. > :11:40.driver, tried to carry the bunkers. Woods with his two iron. Adam Scott

:11:41. > :11:44.was driving so well, he was able to get it down there, hitting eights,

:11:45. > :11:49.minds and wedges. You put a lot of pressure on your mid-irons. This

:11:50. > :11:54.fellow could be a danger. He is crash bang wallop, and I don't say

:11:55. > :11:58.that in an unkind way. If he gets going, finding the fairways, and

:11:59. > :12:12.gets a putting touch, he could be here come Sunday night. Loose swing

:12:13. > :12:25.for a big, solid man. Well, on the green, not really threatening a

:12:26. > :12:27.birdie, but on. As you can see, beautiful weather conditions out

:12:28. > :12:34.here on the Hoylake links this morning, as they approach the first

:12:35. > :12:38.green. Woods has been speaking about feeling much faster and stronger,

:12:39. > :12:42.but remember he has only played two competitive rounds since that injury

:12:43. > :12:45.all the way back in March. Also worth remembering, we talked a lot

:12:46. > :12:51.about how well he played at Hoylake back in 2006, when he won his third

:12:52. > :12:56.Open Championship here, but he did start on that first Thursday with a

:12:57. > :13:03.bogey on the 1st hole. Plenty to watch over the next four days on the

:13:04. > :13:08.BBC coverage. Let's go and read join the live golf coverage.

:13:09. > :13:33.I think that was the ball of Tom Watson on the 4th hole. Good start

:13:34. > :13:39.for Tom Watson today, birdied the first. This is his final Open

:13:40. > :13:48.Championship. We thought it was his final in 2010, but they extended it

:13:49. > :13:56.so now that former winners up to the age of 65 get to play. And who would

:13:57. > :14:01.argue against that? I heard a little rumour that he's had special

:14:02. > :14:05.dispensation from them that make decisions, you will be allowed to

:14:06. > :14:10.play next year if he wishes at St Andrews, and end his career there.

:14:11. > :14:26.Here is Stimson, out of the sand, third shot. -- here is Stimson. --

:14:27. > :14:30.here is Stenson. Well, work to do. Play started at 6:25am, and players

:14:31. > :14:37.were arriving with Bonymaen, raring to go.

:14:38. > :14:39.Striking the ball out of the middle of the club, striking the ball

:14:40. > :14:47.nicely, settling in. And it is not of the club, striking the ball

:14:48. > :14:51.just how often Tiger Woods used the driver, but his short game at

:14:52. > :14:55.Congressional if you weeks ago, 16 times he missed the green in

:14:56. > :15:02.regulation, got up and down just three times. By his standards of

:15:03. > :15:14.short game, that is not good. He is on a downslope, this is not easy.

:15:15. > :15:20.That was not easy at all. That's down the hill, it could be in more

:15:21. > :15:27.trouble. No, it's clear. This is not the start we were looking for.

:15:28. > :15:36.Ridiculous thing to say, isn't it? He was hoping for a three. Certainly

:15:37. > :15:37.not to take six. Can I go back to the tea-time, sir? I wasn't quite

:15:38. > :15:39.ready. We fit and strong and healthy now, that

:15:40. > :15:57.is not the issue. We will go to Sergio Garcia on the

:15:58. > :15:58.3rd hole. 199 for Garcia here. Just a puff of breeze down, out of the

:15:59. > :16:23.left. Great angle for this flag. Lovely shot from Garcia. The out of

:16:24. > :16:28.bounds is just a few paces off the edge of the green there. Could be

:16:29. > :16:32.terrifying. But on a day like today, nothing really to worry Garcia.

:16:33. > :16:41.Playing alongside Luke Donald and Rickie Fowler. Tiger at the 1st, his

:16:42. > :16:52.fourth shot. Putting it back up the slope, through the gully. What are

:16:53. > :16:57.you doing, Tiger? Perhaps he feels in such good condition he is going

:16:58. > :17:09.to the field a two upstart? You never know with the way he thinks.

:17:10. > :17:14.That is extraordinary. Well. Let's go back to the third. Here we are,

:17:15. > :17:18.over the out of bounds goes Luke Donald, so he has some distance to

:17:19. > :17:26.go. This is a shot to test the nerves. But again, flat and calm

:17:27. > :17:38.today, just about. There you see, the little ridge, and that out of

:17:39. > :17:49.bounds. Cabrera, birdie opportunity at the 1st. Good effort. Par. Nice,

:17:50. > :17:56.smooth start. Great shots from above. You can see if you look at

:17:57. > :18:02.the green there, top left, if you go down to where the tee is, that's

:18:03. > :18:06.about where the green used to be. But those people with the red roofed

:18:07. > :18:10.houses and the cars parked there, they got a bit cheesed off with ball

:18:11. > :18:17.spinning off the road into the garden. The tall figure of Robert

:18:18. > :18:23.Karlsson on the 12th, coming round nicely. Birdies at the 10th and 12th

:18:24. > :18:29.comedy moves to 1-under par. Good to see him coming back to form --

:18:30. > :18:35.birdies at the 10th and 12th, he moves back into form.

:18:36. > :18:49.Back to the first. Stenson for a par-4. Cabrera already in for a

:18:50. > :18:53.four. Now, this is a longish putt to have on your opening hole for a

:18:54. > :18:57.par-4. But should you strike it nicely and see it go right in the

:18:58. > :19:13.middle of the hole, the nerves will settle down. No. It's a nerve

:19:14. > :19:14.twitch. What an untidy start. For two of them anyway, Stenson and

:19:15. > :19:52.Woods, two of the favourites. This is a big putt, obviously, just

:19:53. > :19:56.to drop one shot. Interesting start. But don't forget when he won here at

:19:57. > :20:07.Hoylake in 2006 he bogeyed the 1st hole back then. This is for a bogey.

:20:08. > :20:20.That was a lovely putt. Although it was 45. One plate, 1-over. --

:20:21. > :20:27.although it was for a five. One played, 1-over.

:20:28. > :20:36.Let's see if Stenson can just finish up for his five. Tough opening hole.

:20:37. > :20:47.With the conditions today not quite so difficult, but the men who laid

:20:48. > :20:52.back with iron shots off the tee both end up with bogeys. STUDIO:

:20:53. > :20:58.Amongst the other groups we will be watching closely is this trio,

:20:59. > :21:04.former world number one Luke Donald trying to bridge a gap back to the

:21:05. > :21:09.last English winner. He has Rickie Fowler, and Sergio Garcia, who has

:21:10. > :21:15.lost count of the number of times he has been close without the cigar at

:21:16. > :21:29.the Open Championship. Woods, Cabrera and is dense -- and Stenson

:21:30. > :21:33.have just launched their assault. At 9:26am, an outrageously talented

:21:34. > :21:41.trio of twentysomethings. Double major winner Rory McIlroy, Hideki

:21:42. > :21:45.Matsuyama, and America's Jordan Speith, the wonder kid who pushed

:21:46. > :21:49.Bubba Watson all the way at the Masters at Augusta in April. So much

:21:50. > :22:04.to look forward to on this opening morning. COMMENTATOR: 3rd hole, Luke

:22:05. > :22:18.Donald, third shot. A wizard of the short game. That's looking back down

:22:19. > :22:24.the second, first goes up, second comes back. A little bit of

:22:25. > :22:31.aggression from Cabrera on the first, make the hole so easy. And

:22:32. > :22:31.the course is so much easier than open Championships have been over

:22:32. > :22:35.the past couple of years. open Championships have been over

:22:36. > :22:46.be interesting to see if they start becoming more aggressive. Safely on

:22:47. > :22:51.the fairway. This fairway really narrows up between the bunkers at

:22:52. > :22:59.around 300, 330, so I and shots for all the players, I would expect. --

:23:00. > :23:04.so iron shots. Yes, the question is, no one really knows the game that

:23:05. > :23:08.Tiger Woods does have right now, but I was with him a couple of weeks ago

:23:09. > :23:14.at Congressman when he did play two competitive rounds. He hit his iron

:23:15. > :23:19.is great. He drove poorly, but his irons were actually good. Don't

:23:20. > :23:27.forget around this golf course you can actually play many irons. Just

:23:28. > :23:43.nestled down. A little bit loose with the iron. One of the advantages

:23:44. > :23:50.Henrik Stenson has over many players, he can hit irons, and the

:23:51. > :23:53.3-wood he hits so far. Even if he is coming in from a long-distance, he

:23:54. > :24:01.hits the ball so high, and with Spain he can get it to stop so much

:24:02. > :24:21.than most players. -- and with spin. Good from Stenson and Cabrera,

:24:22. > :24:34.Tiger just in the semi-rough. Back to the third. Garcia. For a birdie,

:24:35. > :24:42.to go to 2-under par. Oh, come on. It's there. Well done. Well, he's

:24:43. > :25:01.had a smooth, sweet, succulents start. 2-under par after three. Now

:25:02. > :25:11.Donald for his par. Nicely done. Three behind his playing partner.

:25:12. > :25:19.Ryan Moore at the 6th. This is to get to 2-under par. Ryan Moore has

:25:20. > :25:29.been around a few years in the States. He has done it.

:25:30. > :25:38.Unconventional golfer in many ways. Puts some good scores together. Some

:25:39. > :25:40.good scoring so far, but on this very nine-day with perfect

:25:41. > :25:51.conditions, nobody is destroying the court just yet. -- the course. A

:25:52. > :25:55.group tied at 2-under par. These are spectacular shots from on high.

:25:56. > :26:01.There is the horseshoe green over on the far side, this media centre,

:26:02. > :26:06.clubhouse, top centre. Conservative club just on the left-hand side. My

:26:07. > :26:12.fellow members in Farnham will be gathered round watching today. From

:26:13. > :26:50.Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy. Iron for Michael -- for McIlroy.

:26:51. > :26:54.What lies in store for him? 64 to start the Scottish open last week

:26:55. > :27:13.followed by 78 on the Friday. Fairway found on the first. On the

:27:14. > :27:18.tee from Japan, Hideki Matsuyama. A group of great young talents, this

:27:19. > :27:23.one, to watch. We have seen a mixture of decisions already made

:27:24. > :27:32.off this tee, but iron format to Yarmouth. Ideal place is down the

:27:33. > :27:41.left, it opens up the green -- but iron for Matsuyama. Finished sixth

:27:42. > :27:46.in his debut last year. Watch out for him this week. On the tee from

:27:47. > :28:33.the USA, Jordan Spieth. Nicely done from all three, and what

:28:34. > :28:40.a group to watch. Matsuyama, McIlroy and Speith. STUDIO: Quite right.

:28:41. > :28:45.Rory McIlroy was actually on holiday in Spain with his mum and dad when

:28:46. > :28:49.the open was last played at Hoylake in 2006. He did not make his debut

:28:50. > :28:53.as an amateur until the following year. Since then he has become

:28:54. > :28:58.number one, the most talked about player in the world at times, a

:28:59. > :28:59.winner of two different Majors, and one of the favourites to make it

:29:00. > :29:41.three here. in the Scottish open was that the

:29:42. > :29:49.wind did blow, and previously we thought that he struggled when the

:29:50. > :29:53.wind got up. But he can do it. I was just thinking what a feast it has

:29:54. > :30:02.been over the last few weeks, and a lot more to come for lovers of link

:30:03. > :30:17.scarf. -- of links golf. Let's look at Woods 's second. And he's just

:30:18. > :30:36.got back. It has been a feast at the Scottish open, at the women's Open.

:30:37. > :30:53.Stay. Things can topple off the green to the right. Up to the 10th,

:30:54. > :31:13.Leishman, this is to go 3-under, and he has done it. A lot of regular

:31:14. > :31:20.names. Some looking for fame. Actually, for Australia, there is a

:31:21. > :31:26.Leishman in America too. Garcia, 152. Playing excellent, has not

:31:27. > :31:41.missed a shot so far. Is his magic lean, and it works.

:31:42. > :32:14.Matsuyama. The first hole. Slovak. Almost a little pause at the

:32:15. > :32:31.top of the backswing. Yes, nicely done.

:32:32. > :32:41.Spieth and Mac or if -- McIlroy both on the fairway, slightly more

:32:42. > :33:03.difficult one for Spieth. That is a misjudgement, down into

:33:04. > :33:11.the bunker where Stenson was. A misjudgement. A very good all-round

:33:12. > :33:19.player, a very good short game, not a big hitter or flamboyant player,

:33:20. > :33:39.just very good. Ideal position for Mac McIlroy. -- McIlroy. That is

:33:40. > :33:45.more like it. At this moment, you could not wish for better

:33:46. > :33:59.conditions. Players starting at 6:30am, I always think back to St

:34:00. > :34:05.Andrews, getting in the early score then the weather can deteriorate,

:34:06. > :34:10.that can always happen when you are by the sea. Stenson did fall off the

:34:11. > :34:15.green at the 2nd. that can always happen when you are

:34:16. > :34:21.by the sea. Stenson did Their role sorts of undulation is on the second

:34:22. > :34:34.green. Stenson in danger of dropping a shot at the 2nd.

:34:35. > :34:42.I go back to when I was with Tiger Woods a few weeks ago, coming back

:34:43. > :34:49.off the back surgery, the driving was not good, surprisingly his

:34:50. > :34:53.putting was not good. He has had a couple of weeks since then. This is

:34:54. > :35:34.a tough one. Steady. Luke Donald at the 4th, this for a

:35:35. > :35:47.birdie. While he is 1-over par. I thought he had got that one.

:35:48. > :35:56.Cabrera was the aggressive on the first, safe on the second, leaving

:35:57. > :35:59.himself 200 yards, missing the green leaving him an awkward chip shot.

:36:00. > :36:21.This to save par. A solid start. Garcia with another great

:36:22. > :36:34.opportunity for birdie after that 9-iron, pin high. I think the pace

:36:35. > :36:39.of the links greens, they give Garcia a chance to be more positive

:36:40. > :36:56.with his putting. A good start for Garcia. 2-under.

:36:57. > :37:33.Spieth, his third shot. Look how deep the bunkers are. Not too bad.

:37:34. > :37:46.Stenson for his par at the 2nd. Yes. Avoiding the bogey, bogey start. Big

:37:47. > :38:00.putts to hole for your par. 15 feet. Quite a lot of noise, this washy,

:38:01. > :38:08.that will hold of this town -- the sound. I have never seen anything

:38:09. > :38:17.like that before. Woods for par. Dropping a shot at the 1st, dropping

:38:18. > :38:24.a shot at the 2nd, not good news. It is a tired old thing to say, but in

:38:25. > :38:36.his pomp he would roll those in. That is not a good putt. Birdie

:38:37. > :38:43.chance missed by McIlroy. He looked a good putt, it did not disappear,

:38:44. > :38:48.only a four. I am surprised on this perfect morning, players of the

:38:49. > :38:58.class of Woods and Stenson struggling, and Cabrera, taking a

:38:59. > :39:10.five. Both holes are 450 yards, not pushing them. I gave Cabrera a par

:39:11. > :39:31.at the 2nd, it was of course a birdie. Spieth, the par. That will

:39:32. > :39:38.do. -- for par. Looks so composed, is only 20.

:39:39. > :39:56.That is a two shot penalty. Very artistic. Nice little touches. Slow

:39:57. > :40:05.motion. So slow you can almost see someone changing their mind. That is

:40:06. > :40:27.West Kirby Marine Lake. Garcia. Seeing off next. -- teeing

:40:28. > :40:35.off next. Playing beautifully this morning. The wind has died off

:40:36. > :40:41.completely. This hole is characteristic of Hoylake, three

:40:42. > :41:02.bunkers down the left-hand side there. He can still get up in two.

:41:03. > :41:14.Most players will be hitting an iron office, a little bitter breeze

:41:15. > :41:30.helping. That is aiming towards the corner, that should be OK. --

:41:31. > :41:36.heating and I in. -- hitting an iron off this.

:41:37. > :41:45.heating and I in. -- hitting an iron We can see the huge crowds following

:41:46. > :41:49.Tiger Woods, you are a firm believer their golf needs him at the top.

:41:50. > :41:55.There is no question about that. There is an energy here that has

:41:56. > :42:02.been lacking for awhile. There are a lot of doubters, but it is a bit

:42:03. > :42:05.like Ian Botham stepping onto the pitch at Lord's. He would not bet

:42:06. > :42:11.against him hitting one out of the ground. Bogey, bogey start, but he

:42:12. > :42:15.may get it going later on in the day. He has played so little

:42:16. > :42:24.competitive golf, what chance does he have? Making the cut is

:42:25. > :42:33.realistic. We saw him earlier on in the year, at Torrey Pines. I've

:42:34. > :42:42.never seen him with an atmosphere like this. Realistically, making the

:42:43. > :43:04.cut. By the way if you are coming to the Open, get your Sun cream on. Up

:43:05. > :43:12.it is beautiful. -- it is beautiful. Edoardo Molinari, that bit of rough

:43:13. > :43:19.does not look too vicious, but there are areas where it is long and

:43:20. > :43:36.thick. Nearly getting it up and out. Great bit of golfing country here,

:43:37. > :43:45.some nice little courses. McIlroy tried to find this narrow fairway at

:43:46. > :44:00.the 2nd. Wide enough there with the iron. Compton, for the birdie. Well

:44:01. > :44:07.done. A great story, Erik Compton. We will talk more about that later

:44:08. > :44:21.on. This is what Luke Donald faced only third. The dogleg, that is out

:44:22. > :44:26.of bounds. Woods coming across it. Cabrera and Stenson in good shape.

:44:27. > :44:31.He gives Woods bit of a pause for thought. Looks like Stenson will go

:44:32. > :44:38.first from the middle of the fairway. Completely different angle,

:44:39. > :44:52.hitting alongside the out of bounds. 190 yards left for Henrik. That is

:44:53. > :45:00.more like it. You can see the out of bounds rich, years ago that was, now

:45:01. > :45:04.they let it grow. It sometimes stops the ball going from over the top.

:45:05. > :45:13.That is the practice ground on the left. For the first time, Kenneth

:45:14. > :45:19.Brown is here. Welcome. Good morning, what a delightful morning,

:45:20. > :45:29.hardly a breath of wind, blue skies, huge galleries out. That is nicely

:45:30. > :45:39.done. The out of bounds is so tight, you have to get careful. You have

:45:40. > :45:49.two make the most of the morning like this, Peter. Oh, yes. Cabrera

:45:50. > :46:20.now. He has not gone out of bounds, has the? He has. Would you believe

:46:21. > :46:32.it? -- as. -- has he?. On a breathless day, to knock it out of

:46:33. > :46:45.bounds, unbelievable. He is not 1 million miles away again. Goes to

:46:46. > :47:06.the top of the green. That is four. Richie Gray -- we have Graeme

:47:07. > :47:12.McDowell. You had to measure your expectations, prepare well, try to

:47:13. > :47:17.be patient. I have been here since Sunday, playing this golf course for

:47:18. > :47:23.different days. Very different weather conditions. The sun is

:47:24. > :47:29.shining, perfect playing conditions, looking forward to the challenge.

:47:30. > :47:35.You say conditions, it is forecast to do all sorts of things. You must

:47:36. > :47:40.be happy? I have seen this golf course in varying wind directions.

:47:41. > :47:46.In France, a couple of weeks ago, very tough conditions, playing in

:47:47. > :47:49.wind and rain. We know at the Open weather can play a massive

:47:50. > :47:54.influence. It can influence the golf course. I have various game plans to

:47:55. > :48:01.deal with the various wind conditions. Hopefully I can play

:48:02. > :48:10.well, execute my game plans, and try and put myself in a good position.

:48:11. > :48:17.Nice to hear from Graeme, that is the practice ground, the municipal

:48:18. > :48:30.course. There is a cluster of golf courses around here. Garcia, on par

:48:31. > :48:46.five second. 280, great angle for this flag.

:48:47. > :49:02.Leaving himself a very awkward little pitch. On the down slope. Ten

:49:03. > :49:17.yards closer or Rickie looking to leave himself on the left-hand side,

:49:18. > :49:24.avoiding that bunker at all costs. -- closer for. Frank is in the box,

:49:25. > :49:32.welcome. You would like to be out there? Absolutely stunning day, Ken.

:49:33. > :49:42.No surprise to this is, Rory McIlroy. 6-iron for Rory. Trying to

:49:43. > :49:52.find the back left flag, needs to land it in the heart of the green.

:49:53. > :50:04.Oh, that is an absolute cracker, it had to... Oh, man! Such a difficult

:50:05. > :50:09.pin to get at. These are brilliant conditions for Rory, he likes a

:50:10. > :50:23.softer golf course, the wind is down. Difficult lie for Spieth, he

:50:24. > :50:28.has to come in over the left-hand bunker if he wants to go at the

:50:29. > :50:46.flag. Did well to get that on the green. After a dip over the out of

:50:47. > :50:59.bounds, Angel Cabrera, this for his bogey. It has a chance. He hits a

:51:00. > :51:02.tribe of the first tee, he is going to get after the course. It is a day

:51:03. > :51:26.you can do it. A very different course from last

:51:27. > :51:49.time, perhaps the players will take there -- will take wooden clubs off

:51:50. > :52:01.the tee. Tiger, throngs of people out there. Gavin with this group.

:52:02. > :52:15.Stenson. After a super approach. He pushed one on the first, he has done

:52:16. > :52:26.it again there, I think that was a slight misread.

:52:27. > :52:41.In a morning where there are few birdies about, this three ball are

:52:42. > :52:57.all over par. Some second shot. The flag is back left. But you are

:52:58. > :53:10.right, Ken, the coastline looks great, a prime day-to-day. He has a

:53:11. > :53:24.bit of grass on the ball. A high floating one. Playing it well. That

:53:25. > :53:38.is divine. There is a big, deep part before the green. This is the

:53:39. > :53:52.sexiest oldest club in Britain. -- this is the second oldest club in

:53:53. > :54:02.Britain. A lot of history. Robert Karlsson. The green is not overly

:54:03. > :54:04.quick, in case the wind gets up. Perhaps a hint of movement from his

:54:05. > :54:30.left. Doing in excellent job in these

:54:31. > :54:41.conditions. A good day to be in the red. A good day to be first out,

:54:42. > :54:50.too. Donald over the pot bunker, green running away from him. A

:54:51. > :55:01.delightful little pitch. He is not... What a shot. So clever, you

:55:02. > :55:07.have two be brave to do that. We go forward, to the 10th hole. Former

:55:08. > :55:17.winner of the US Amateur, Edoardo Molinari. Starting to go in. The

:55:18. > :55:24.much better putter of the two brothers. Tied at the top with Marc

:55:25. > :55:36.Leishman. We go back to Sergio Garc?a. This to join the group at

:55:37. > :55:44.3-under. Up, up, yes! Done in some style, Ken. He has been so close in

:55:45. > :55:57.so many Majors, it is to be his turn sometime. 2006 he was close, the

:55:58. > :56:07.great Seve Ballesteros' last major, last Open Championship. Scott, you

:56:08. > :56:12.are pulling a crowd? Wonderful atmosphere behind these players,

:56:13. > :56:19.some great golf being played. Luke is a bit scrappy, being dragged

:56:20. > :56:34.along by Garcia. Rickie Fowler, back-to-back birdies, great little

:56:35. > :56:44.pitch. Well done, super up and down. Moving to two wonder. Runner-up in

:56:45. > :56:53.the recent US Open. Also tied fifth at the Masters, having a great year.

:56:54. > :57:05.Starting to show what all that early promise was about. Once again, an

:57:06. > :57:18.iron for Rory. Interesting start, four straight par fours.

:57:19. > :57:31.Luke Donald is dropped one at the 1st, he gets one back. Good riddance

:57:32. > :57:37.to his stroke. They moved to the short sixth. Jim Furyk, had a few

:57:38. > :57:55.weeks off. Not rusty. The front of the clubhouse, where

:57:56. > :58:01.all the courtesy cars pull up, the other side of that is the putting

:58:02. > :58:20.green. The first TUC is number three. -- the first tee you see is

:58:21. > :58:23.number three. What a site that is. Hundreds

:58:24. > :58:38.number three. What a site that is. shot. The fourth hole -- 157 yards.

:58:39. > :58:42.Surprise surprise, all three players on the fairway. That is a rarity,

:58:43. > :58:49.even though they are hitting irons off the tee. This is a really good

:58:50. > :58:55.birdie opportunity, even though the pin position is quite a long way

:58:56. > :59:32.back. 153 yards for Cabrera. Trying to get it to cut back. It has

:59:33. > :59:38.almost been a bit of a shock to these players, that they have not

:59:39. > :59:41.got off to a start. With these conditions, there are birdie

:59:42. > :00:07.opportunities, just to go with the deep rough, and you will be fine.

:00:08. > :00:15.with the Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth group. Maureen is following

:00:16. > :00:21.this for us. A very impressive start from Rory. Absolutely ideal, every

:00:22. > :00:27.shot he has it, the big clubs have been perfect, ideal lines onto the

:00:28. > :00:34.greens, the 6-iron on the second, stone dead. I could've got putt.

:00:35. > :00:39.Steady on, some people have questioned his temperament when it

:00:40. > :00:43.comes to the Open Championship. He says links golf is not his favourite

:00:44. > :00:49.type of golf, but he has a real chance. He has always been a

:00:50. > :00:55.slightly streaky player, it depends how he feels. These are great

:00:56. > :01:00.conditions for every one of them. He can get in close to the pins, he has

:01:01. > :01:09.a real chance to get a good marker on the board, that will make him

:01:10. > :01:17.feel great. Let's get back to the Gulf.

:01:18. > :01:40.Pin on a little back ledge at number six, 25 on, seven from the left. Six

:01:41. > :01:43.hole playing 201 today, Garcia going with a 6-iron, looking to get it on

:01:44. > :02:01.the back shelf, keeping it right side of the flag. Wants to get it up

:02:02. > :02:05.the little tire, if you can. If you try to carry it all the way on, it

:02:06. > :02:17.is very difficult to hold onto the green. Chance to take the lead,

:02:18. > :02:34.Edoardo Molinari. That had to move left. To the par-3 6th. A 6-iron for

:02:35. > :02:37.Luke here. See if he can get something going after that birdie on

:02:38. > :02:53.the last. He got a steer from his mate, Sergio

:02:54. > :03:06.Garcia. Good buddies, him and Luke Donald. Often spent time together up

:03:07. > :03:09.the mountain, there. They have been a good pairing in the Ryder Cup as

:03:10. > :03:14.well. The par threes here are beautiful. All four play in

:03:15. > :03:18.different directions. If the wind were to get up today, it would be a

:03:19. > :03:28.totally different mix. 85 degrees tomorrow. Some block time. I can't

:03:29. > :03:36.believe the moon is still out. -- sunblock. He has the flag out, this

:03:37. > :03:49.is for a birdie at four, just coming up a little ridge. Oh. Well, it's a

:03:50. > :03:53.bumpy start. Bogeys at one and two. Outside chance of a birdie three,

:03:54. > :04:02.and potential for another bogey again here. Such a big ask, isn't

:04:03. > :04:07.it? His last event was three or four months off. STUDIO: Yet again from

:04:08. > :04:17.the perfect position, right on the elbow of the dogleg, Rory McIlroy

:04:18. > :04:25.looking right at this screen. -- looking right up this green.

:04:26. > :04:39.Oh, Rory. On a roll. I think the tactics of the tee will be key to

:04:40. > :04:45.his success. 28 rounds, 43 under-par for the first round, had a few poor

:04:46. > :04:56.second rounds. Real quality striking.

:04:57. > :05:12.The young superstar. He has done everything. Jordan Spieth, he won

:05:13. > :05:17.the John Deere just over a year ago. Yes, he has had some terrific

:05:18. > :05:28.performances. This is absolutely on-the-fly. -- on the flag. He has

:05:29. > :05:39.got that one intangible, attitude. Belief that he belongs. STUDIO:

:05:40. > :05:42.Almost four hours into the play on the opening day, and we have

:05:43. > :05:46.co-leaders in Edoardo Molinari, and it is great to see him back from

:05:47. > :05:51.Italy, his first appearance in the open for three years, after two

:05:52. > :05:54.wrist surgeries. Showed great form in the past couple of weeks,

:05:55. > :05:59.runner-up to Mikko Ilonen in the Irish Open. He is tied on 3-under

:06:00. > :06:04.par with Sergio Garcia, who was such a force here eight years ago. Went

:06:05. > :06:08.out in the last group on the last day but it was not to be his day.

:06:09. > :06:28.Robert Karlsson in that group at 2-under par. He was on the 6:25am

:06:29. > :06:32.tea-time -- tee time. COMMENTATOR: Another clutch at four Tiger. It

:06:33. > :06:45.will be interesting to see the pace. Scrapping. He had two hole one at

:06:46. > :06:50.that sort of link on the first for a bogey. This should be moving a

:06:51. > :07:22.little bit from right to left. Well, some are on the move. Not much

:07:23. > :07:37.of a breeze to get them going round this morning. Synchronised

:07:38. > :07:41.windmills. Donald just a little closer. Pretty much on the same

:07:42. > :07:55.line. Looking for back-to-back birdies, here. You would think it is

:07:56. > :08:06.a good course for Luke Donald. Accurate player, generally. Controls

:08:07. > :08:16.his irons well. Even par, never to bed, through the first six. -- never

:08:17. > :08:21.too bad, through the first six. Rickie Fowler, after birdies at four

:08:22. > :08:37.and five, this is to try to get to 3-under.

:08:38. > :08:44.Fowler for par after that exquisite little chip from the left side of

:08:45. > :08:56.the green. Think he thought it would release a little more than it did.

:08:57. > :09:03.Thriving on the little shots he has got to play, little chip and runs.

:09:04. > :09:09.We have seen players come over from the United States in the past and

:09:10. > :09:10.have not really enjoyed links golf. They haven't really played it on

:09:11. > :09:36.days like today. Tiger Woods out with the iron on

:09:37. > :09:44.this short par-5. That is very low. Not sure he intended to go that low,

:09:45. > :09:58.but it's working nicely for him. He can still get home, here. Still not

:09:59. > :10:01.quite in sync. Can Jordan Spieth read this birdie chance? It's coming

:10:02. > :10:10.back. He read it beautifully. Double breaker. Delightfully done.

:10:11. > :10:25.Confidence, that's what he's got. A lot of self-confidence. Playing

:10:26. > :10:37.alongside Rory McIlroy. This is for two in a row. Little bit of a

:10:38. > :10:43.block. He has shot so many good opening rounds. Four times this year

:10:44. > :11:00.he has shot 64 or better. On the first day. Opportunity drifting by,

:11:01. > :11:12.but 1-under par. Well, a wonderful view from above.

:11:13. > :11:18.This 4th hole is 372 yards, virtually straightaway par one of

:11:19. > :11:23.the shortest fours on the golf course. Most of the players will be

:11:24. > :11:29.driving in this area. 240 yards off the tee. The bunker on the right

:11:30. > :11:34.side is 241 yards to reach it off the back tea, and from the front it

:11:35. > :11:39.is only 110 yards. If you try to go further, the fairway bottles in and

:11:40. > :11:44.the game is virtually nothing. This is where all the players are likely

:11:45. > :11:49.to hit it. If you look at this fairway there is hardly a divot in

:11:50. > :11:53.it, perfect. But as the week goes by with players laying up in the same

:11:54. > :11:58.area, you might find a divot mark. Wind behind it will be no more than

:11:59. > :12:05.a 5-iron ore for Ryan, and if you miss judge it, and go a bit further,

:12:06. > :12:09.the ball just trickles and trickles and you might get lucky, but if you

:12:10. > :12:18.get an marquee, this is an awful bunker to get into. You never get a

:12:19. > :12:26.flat life. -- if you get an lucky -- if you get unlucky, this is an awful

:12:27. > :12:38.bunker to get into, you never get a flat lie.

:12:39. > :12:46.As Ken was telling you, this is the shortest of the par fours. Down the

:12:47. > :12:50.left gives you much the easy angle into the green. Into a bit of a

:12:51. > :12:54.breeze today which makes the second shot a lot easier, because coming

:12:55. > :13:01.down wind is very difficult to get close to the short pin. We are

:13:02. > :13:08.looking at how prolific these youngsters are. Matsuyama winning in

:13:09. > :13:30.America, he did win in Japan. Talent galore in this group.

:13:31. > :13:39.Top player from Japan these days. That's OK, nice life. Important to

:13:40. > :13:52.find the fairway so you can spin your next. -- nice lie. Jordan

:13:53. > :13:56.Spieth is a very big draw out here, people are very excited to see him.

:13:57. > :14:01.This is only his second Open Championship. But he has figured

:14:02. > :14:07.well in a few Majors he has played in so far. Ideal temperament for the

:14:08. > :14:18.game. This club brings these bunkers into play. Flirts with the one on

:14:19. > :14:29.the right side. That was very aggressive. I think that was the

:14:30. > :14:36.fearlessness of youth for Jordan Spieth. McIlroy quite a veteran

:14:37. > :14:44.compared to his two playing partners. They are just second-year

:14:45. > :14:47.professionals. Needs to find a lie or a nice bounce. He has done OK, I

:14:48. > :15:08.think. Spindly rough. Yet another par-4, yet another iron

:15:09. > :15:19.for Sergio. Magnificent striking so far. Flushing it. He is a flusher,

:15:20. > :15:45.one of the really sound strikers of the ball. Woods.

:15:46. > :15:57.We just see on the move down, taking a little bit of turf. Just been a

:15:58. > :16:00.little late on a few of the hits. Missed it to the right on both three

:16:01. > :16:13.Robert Karlsson. Oh, that's a good and four.

:16:14. > :16:28.Robert Karlsson. Oh, that's a good shot. Six yards to land it on, green

:16:29. > :16:44.running away. The long hitting Dustin Johnson. He can yield the

:16:45. > :16:54.putter as well. Of course he has been close in this Championship.

:16:55. > :17:02.A chance to join the leaders, and does, with a delightful birdie.

:17:03. > :17:08.Joins Molinari and Sergio Garcia at 3-under par. One of the tallest

:17:09. > :17:14.players on the Tour. And there is how it looks. A Swede and Italian

:17:15. > :17:20.and a Spaniard leading the early stages of the Open Championship.

:17:21. > :17:26.Australian Marc Leishman putting together another good Open

:17:27. > :17:35.Championship. A few red figures early on. Neat and tidy start for

:17:36. > :17:45.Rory McIlroy. Currently 24 players under-par. Four amateurs in the

:17:46. > :17:59.field. Ashley Chesters, a good start for him. Sliding down to look at the

:18:00. > :18:04.ball positions on the fourth. McIlroy 56 paces behind Jordan

:18:05. > :18:10.Spieth. But Speith took a big gamble to sneak it past that bunker, and

:18:11. > :18:17.just managed to do it. Rory has 169 yards to go, OK lie. Just in the

:18:18. > :18:26.semi-rough. He has two coming over two cavernous bunkers. That won't be

:18:27. > :18:36.a problem for him -- he has to come in. KJ Choi just puts another one

:18:37. > :18:51.in. Hardly a blade of grass where it shouldn't be, here. So the green is

:18:52. > :18:57.clear. Well, everything on this green runs down to the back left

:18:58. > :19:02.corner. Rather attractively, that is where today's flag is situated. So

:19:03. > :19:06.Rory should have plenty of green to work with. Not a difficult shot.

:19:07. > :19:25.Just a wee breeze holding the ball up. Not really anything to bother

:19:26. > :19:26.him over the back. Going to use a high trajectory to get it to stop,

:19:27. > :19:56.not spin. Well, when you haven't played

:19:57. > :20:05.competitive golf for so long, these are the shots that test. I must say,

:20:06. > :20:19.he played that rather conservatively. Well, Ken, what have

:20:20. > :20:26.you done wrong? Even the police are having fun today. There is a bird

:20:27. > :20:30.observatory, you can walk across there, when the tide is out, as you

:20:31. > :20:40.can see. Don't know what he is up to. Don't think he's going to catch

:20:41. > :20:49.him. Rickie Fowler here on seven, just 335 off the tee. Bit of a

:20:50. > :20:53.discussion with the caddy, think they are trying to work out the

:20:54. > :21:00.breeze. It is their one minute, it dies the next. This is a hole where

:21:01. > :21:07.you can only see half the flag. Even from 140, he can only see the top

:21:08. > :21:15.end of the flag. Now, can he make a birdie for the first time? The crowd

:21:16. > :21:28.know it. First push forward in the comeback. His victory last time, he

:21:29. > :21:33.was 14-under par for the par fives, it is absolutely critical you play

:21:34. > :21:45.them well this week. So, after that huge driver off the tee. Founder.

:21:46. > :22:00.The distance is good. He kept it well away from the bunkers on the

:22:01. > :22:13.left. I know my bag didn't used to look like that.

:22:14. > :22:26.Speith just sitting one in, it will skid and then grip, hopefully.

:22:27. > :22:34.That's the way to do it. Beauty. Took advantage of a very aggressive

:22:35. > :22:42.tee shot. At the 13th, Ben Martin from the United States. We are

:22:43. > :22:47.seeing if you putts go in. -- a few.

:22:48. > :23:00.Henrik Stenson at the par-5. Trying to match Woods. Nice little assist.

:23:01. > :23:07.This is really where it all started last year. He found that extra gear.

:23:08. > :23:17.Turned into a wonderful finish for the year. The golf course just up

:23:18. > :23:23.the road, very nice golf course as well. Not the biggest piece of

:23:24. > :23:32.ground, they have almost extended it as long as it can be without being

:23:33. > :23:36.ridiculous. Rory not getting the flyer he expected, so a long

:23:37. > :23:55.approach putt, and it will come from right to left just at the very end

:23:56. > :23:59.of its journey. Marvellous lag. With the longer putts you see him

:24:00. > :24:05.released the putter, with putts inside 15 feet, it tends to be more

:24:06. > :24:13.of a block. Yes, I noticed on one he missed earlier, looked like he just

:24:14. > :24:17.trapped the ball on the ground. They loved their golf around here. Most

:24:18. > :24:25.enthusiastic crowds. They come out in their droves. Couple of odd

:24:26. > :24:28.points, one or two of them. It's going to be a very exciting

:24:29. > :24:36.atmosphere. It is a delight to see so many people about. Welcome back

:24:37. > :24:40.out to the course. They have turned up the technology at the open. You

:24:41. > :24:48.will see 17 of these new brand new LED screens. There is a traditional

:24:49. > :24:53.human activated scoreboard on the grandstand finish. They are trying

:24:54. > :24:57.their best to improve the open experience. It tells you the players

:24:58. > :25:02.that are approaching. Smartphones are allowed in. You can turn them on

:25:03. > :25:07.but you have to keep the sound down. There is on course Wi-Fi and

:25:08. > :25:11.everybody has been encouraged to download the open app, which allows

:25:12. > :25:17.you to look at the BBC coverage as well. And one new thing is golf as

:25:18. > :25:23.GPS, so you can find out where your favourite player is, what group they

:25:24. > :25:26.are in. And no sporting coverage on any channel is complete without a

:25:27. > :25:29.vote, so we have one for you to keep you entertained. We would like to

:25:30. > :25:46.know who you think is going to win. It is only for fun, you can't win

:25:47. > :26:04.anything. Exactly who will win? If I was going

:26:05. > :26:11.for that group, I would go for other. Certainly wide open this

:26:12. > :26:16.year, with the conditions, it should bring a lot more people into play.

:26:17. > :26:25.So, fresh off his first birdie, about to play his first puffery of

:26:26. > :26:32.the day. -- about to play his first par-3. 201 yards, the six hole, for

:26:33. > :26:43.Tiger Woods. Back left hole position, not easy to get close.

:26:44. > :26:46.Unless your name is Henrik Stenson. Here is how it has played today. Six

:26:47. > :27:03.birdies, we have had. On the last hole Cabrera decided he

:27:04. > :27:09.was going to get the driver out. He made a nice birdie. Not easy to get

:27:10. > :27:21.close but he does like to draw the ball. Suits this shot. He is drawing

:27:22. > :27:29.it. Maybe too much. Firm bounce off the shoulder. Looks like a nasty

:27:30. > :27:37.little lie. I would have thought it was a friendly flag here today. Yes,

:27:38. > :27:45.but over the back is not good. Rickie Fowler, after a glorious

:27:46. > :27:47.drive. Reasonably sensible approach. Very reflective get hurt, number

:27:48. > :28:15.seven, tucked behind the bunker. Robert Karlsson 3-under par, tied

:28:16. > :28:23.with Sergio Garcia, who is playing at the 8th. Montanari has dropped

:28:24. > :28:24.one back. Ryan Moore from the United States also going well. -- Molinari

:28:25. > :28:37.hands. You would have thought this course

:28:38. > :28:41.would have suited Matteo Manassero. If you can find his form on the

:28:42. > :28:51.greens, might give himself a chance. The evergreen Jim Furyk, amazing

:28:52. > :28:55.player. Having a very good season. Hideki Matsuyama played so well in

:28:56. > :29:03.the major Championships last year. Obviously Japan's best chance going

:29:04. > :29:08.forward. Garcia on the eighth tee here, blind tee shot, over some

:29:09. > :29:22.bushes. Trying to keep it short of the right-hand bunker. Just chases

:29:23. > :29:40.so hard through the ball. He is in a happy place at the

:29:41. > :29:46.moment. Does a bit of tweaking here and there. Enjoyed watching the

:29:47. > :29:54.football. For the first week anyway. I was ribbing him about Spain a few

:29:55. > :29:58.weeks ago. Now Luke Donald. His girlfriend is from Germany, so she

:29:59. > :30:37.enjoyed it. Donald also on the eighth, looking to find the fairway.

:30:38. > :30:46.without Peter Alliss. It is the most gorgeous day. We are on the Wirral,

:30:47. > :30:54.we talk about Royal Liverpool, but we are a few miles from the city of

:30:55. > :31:09.Liverpool. This course was created in the 18 hundredths. -- 1800s. Play

:31:10. > :31:23.has been going the four hours. -- going for. This one running away.

:31:24. > :31:30.Tiger is battling away. Not getting away to the best of starts, rather

:31:31. > :31:32.like Cabrera. Started off nicely on the first hole, since then, in all

:31:33. > :32:12.sorts of bother. Back to the first tee. John

:32:13. > :32:19.Singleton, the local lad. Great applause for him. Came through the

:32:20. > :32:28.qualifying rounds, wouldn't it be a fairy story if he did well? Be great

:32:29. > :32:34.to be greatly played all four rounds. Welcome, Mark James. We

:32:35. > :32:50.shall settle in and watch this fellow drive.

:32:51. > :33:06.Take your time... I think his heart will be pumping a bit. I would not

:33:07. > :33:18.be at all surprised. Watch the ball, keep your swing, you can do it. That

:33:19. > :33:30.looked good. Let's hope that is the first of many good ones.

:33:31. > :33:41.Great support for John Singleton, he lives just down the road, he had to

:33:42. > :33:51.support his career by working in a Birkenhead resin factory. Dan Walker

:33:52. > :33:56.caught up with him yesterday. Your story is ludicrous, you are living

:33:57. > :34:04.the dream, every single person watching you. The more I had to

:34:05. > :34:10.explain my story, it always seems a bit fake. That cannot be my life.

:34:11. > :34:13.You have a whole bunch of guys from your work coming out to watch you?

:34:14. > :34:16.You have a whole bunch of guys from your work All of my mates, I usually

:34:17. > :34:27.play football with them on a Thursday night. Will they all wear

:34:28. > :34:33.ginger wigs? They are. I had a conversation between some golf

:34:34. > :34:40.fans, John Singleton goes off 90 minutes after Tiger Woods, have you

:34:41. > :34:46.processed that? Not really. I have not really thought about it. If I

:34:47. > :35:14.think about it I will not be able to put 80 in the ground. -- put a tee

:35:15. > :35:18.in the ground. Dustin Johnson thought I was playing on the

:35:19. > :35:24.European Tour, I told him I was working down the road. I'm living my

:35:25. > :35:40.dream, I had to think, I may have to go to work next week. We wish him

:35:41. > :35:54.well. Woods for a par at six. Nicely done. It is a sunny day all day, the

:35:55. > :35:56.greens may gain some speed. They grow fractionally during the day,

:35:57. > :36:08.and slow up. Garcia at eight. He was trying to fade that, just

:36:09. > :36:39.dragged it. Spieth, cracking 1-over the corner

:36:40. > :36:52.of the course. I hope somebody has spotted that. May not be quite as

:36:53. > :37:02.thick as it looks. -- cracking one shot over. We don't know what it is

:37:03. > :37:10.going to be like tomorrow, that is a huge drive from McIlroy, almost

:37:11. > :37:19.obscene. A bit of wind forecast tomorrow. It is a question of who

:37:20. > :37:28.can break away today. There must be a 64 or 65 on the cards. I agree

:37:29. > :37:34.with you, Mark, there is a low score out there. They are just hitting

:37:35. > :37:41.irons off the hole, could be difficult. That is what Tiger has

:37:42. > :37:52.done in the last two Opens. Going down the left, should be all right.

:37:53. > :38:00.How is he looking with his swing? Looking content? I think he looks

:38:01. > :38:01.OK. I am not sure what the confidence is like. Not playing

:38:02. > :38:26.much. Ashley Chesters, the amateur.

:38:27. > :38:34.Playing rather nicely. Well, now... You noticed family people wear white

:38:35. > :38:39.trousers, you could be confused and King this was a painter and

:38:40. > :38:51.decorator's weekend. The white trousers. It seems popular, putting

:38:52. > :38:55.from off the green. Sadly on the links, the fairways are almost as

:38:56. > :39:07.quick as the greens. The aprons are cut very short. The ball can screw

:39:08. > :39:10.off, coming back 40 yards. A bit of a Rush of blood there. That's to

:39:11. > :39:32.save his par. Let's go up to the 18th, play

:39:33. > :39:47.starting at 6:25am this morning, Robert Karlsson in the first match

:39:48. > :39:59.with David Duval. Oh, no, no. David Howell is leather part, to Val is

:40:00. > :40:05.2-over. Carlson 3-under. -- Robert Karlsson, 3-under. I love these

:40:06. > :40:12.shots where you can see the surrounding area. It was an old

:40:13. > :40:20.racecourse in the 1800s. Becoming a golf course in 1880. Something like

:40:21. > :40:39.that. Luke Donald, on eight. Attempt of a birdie. Not completely happy.

:40:40. > :40:42.He looks a good parted-macro. Good parted-macros always looked like

:40:43. > :41:13.good parted-macros, you never see a quirky one. -- good'

:41:14. > :41:29.-- good putters always look like good ones, never quirky ones. That

:41:30. > :41:48.is Rickie Fowler, never sure about is -- his hat. Oliver Cromwell used

:41:49. > :42:10.to have one like that. In she goes. is -- his hat. Oliver Cromwell used

:42:11. > :42:15.For -- four them at 3-under. Has done a great job of changing his

:42:16. > :42:23.swing, from my experience I can tell you that is not easy. A good three

:42:24. > :42:33.ball this one. Donald, Garcia, Fowler. This is to stay at 3-under.

:42:34. > :42:43.He uses this right-hand grip, lining it up. Then he does that. You have

:42:44. > :43:00.two practice. You can do all sorts of funny things. -- have to

:43:01. > :43:09.practice. It is called the claw, lots of people use it on the senior

:43:10. > :43:14.Tour. Do they? A conservative strategy does not always pay off,

:43:15. > :43:22.Spieth hitting in iron, this is now his fifth shot. He was in the deep

:43:23. > :43:44.rough. Hitting out, back to where you see him now. A putt for a six.

:43:45. > :43:50.The FedEx Cup ranking is a points system the US Tour uses to qualify

:43:51. > :44:27.for the season ending jamboree going on for a few weeks. I get's second

:44:28. > :44:40.shot at the 7th. McIlroy only taking a practice stroke on the long

:44:41. > :44:46.putts. Pretty aggressive. It is odd, just to practice on the longer ones.

:44:47. > :44:53.That was a reasonable length. I wonder what the cut-off point is?

:44:54. > :45:07.Practice stroke and no practice stroke. The evergreen Jim Furyk for

:45:08. > :45:19.a birdie. That is a gobbler. He has his faithful retainer with him.

:45:20. > :45:28.Their areas. -- there he is. Nice total for Robert Karlsson, to take

:45:29. > :45:41.the lead on his own. Oh, lovely putt. A very good start though.

:45:42. > :45:45.Cannot complain about a 69. Finishing your day's work at 10:45

:45:46. > :45:59.a.m.. All happening on the back nine. After being all over the

:46:00. > :46:06.place, just manages a bogey. Damage limitation, a pretty good effort.

:46:07. > :46:13.Act to 1-under. -- he goes back to 1-under.

:46:14. > :46:21.Scott Drummond is down with these three, what is going on? They are

:46:22. > :46:26.just checking the wind, it has changed. Suddenly started blowing

:46:27. > :46:29.from the South West. It was an easterly. Just unsettling Garcia

:46:30. > :46:47.little bit. Garcia has been doing what Woods has

:46:48. > :46:51.been doing, hitting irons. Playing very conservatively, trying to take

:46:52. > :46:56.the bunkers out of play. His iron play has been solid. Do you think

:46:57. > :47:03.that is the right tactic? Difficult to find birdies? It depends how

:47:04. > :47:24.confident they are with their short two-minute irons. -- short to mid

:47:25. > :47:31.irons. It depends how confident they are with their irons and drivers. I

:47:32. > :47:36.remember Lee Trevino could always hit his drive their right to left.

:47:37. > :47:47.He has still got the wrong club there. I think it can get into your

:47:48. > :47:56.brain box if you sense there is a bit of wind, not enough to make any

:47:57. > :48:03.considerable difference. Matsuyama, winning Memorial earlier on in the

:48:04. > :48:08.States this year. He got a couple of shots for slow play last year, I

:48:09. > :48:16.imagine he would have cut a few things out of his pre-shot routine.

:48:17. > :48:29.Rory McIlroy. He knocks those in at a good pace. Confident pace. He

:48:30. > :48:38.could have been around for or 5-under, some wonderful iron shots.

:48:39. > :48:45.Let's join Ken, he's down on the sixth. It is the first par three,

:48:46. > :48:51.200 one yards, always tricky. Elevated green, like an upturned

:48:52. > :48:57.wok. You can get into all sorts of trouble. You have to come in with a

:48:58. > :49:04.high flight, left or right. That bunker is a demon, have to avoid

:49:05. > :49:10.that. A high-flying shots. If it lands softly, you end up with a

:49:11. > :49:21.plug. This right-hand side, you can use it as a cushion, coming onto the

:49:22. > :49:27.green. A level two green, if the pin is at the back, you have to let it

:49:28. > :49:34.skip up. If you hit on the left, you are in trouble, it trickles down. If

:49:35. > :49:39.you go out the flags, you have to be pinpoint accurate. Short order left,

:49:40. > :49:44.all sorts of trouble. That little cushion on the right-hand side gives

:49:45. > :49:49.you a chance. Perfect for a high ball player, not so easy if you come

:49:50. > :49:57.in low. There you have it, straight from the horse's mouth. When I first

:49:58. > :50:07.played this hole, there was out of bounds, 15 feet off the left-hand

:50:08. > :50:11.side of the green. A low mound, they moved it away, putting bunkers down

:50:12. > :50:22.the left-hand side. It was a terrifying hole. Matsuyama, first

:50:23. > :50:35.up, he has a 6-iron. Four par threes coming in a run of ten macro

:50:36. > :50:43.holes. -- run of ten holes. A long way for a six. I thought it was. 200

:50:44. > :50:49.yards with a 6-iron, a bit ambitious stop Tiger. This for his birdie.

:50:50. > :51:12.After a solid mid-iron. The same club for McIlroy, trying to

:51:13. > :51:15.fly this in over the right-hand bunker, sweeping into the centre of

:51:16. > :51:32.the green. He has played about four or five

:51:33. > :51:43.superb iron shots. Only holing one putt. You just keep plugging away,

:51:44. > :52:03.they will drop. A beautiful shot. The ninth green, Rickie Fowler. Oh,

:52:04. > :52:11.no! What a great ship. -- chip. The turf is so good, you can hit a great

:52:12. > :52:17.strike. Speed has a 5-iron. -- Spieth.

:52:18. > :52:36.These two have been a good pair together, pretty well since Rory

:52:37. > :52:49.turned pro, even in his amateur days. There is deep analysis there.

:52:50. > :53:15.We go to Garcia, this for his birdie. That is a good one. Three

:53:16. > :53:27.par fives left to get back in a good score. Marc Warren. Played well last

:53:28. > :53:31.week. Playing well still. Taking him into the red figures. Looking very

:53:32. > :53:44.calm. The full glory of the course at

:53:45. > :53:48.Hoylake. A very attractive village, dare we say it. Looks bigger than a

:53:49. > :54:03.village, all sorts of interesting shots, cafes. -- stores.

:54:04. > :54:14.That one goes all the way. There is an artists' exhibition on the Main

:54:15. > :54:29.Street, all sorts of painters, around ?120, lovely display of local

:54:30. > :54:38.art. Tiger lashing one at the 8th. In play, but it looks hard work. His

:54:39. > :54:45.swing looks violent today. Tickets are still available at the gate, the

:54:46. > :54:55.first day. Any 16-year-olds accompanied by an adult come in for

:54:56. > :55:02.nothing. All sorts of things to enjoy in the tented village. A bit

:55:03. > :55:06.different from days ago, not quite so interesting, in my opinion. They

:55:07. > :55:28.used to have all sorts of things, motor cars, jewellers. Could do

:55:29. > :55:35.little more with that lie. So easy to drop shots, a whisker off-line,

:55:36. > :55:46.drop one. It is indeed. With virtually no wind, that was a fairly

:55:47. > :55:59.poor made iron for Spieth. The Institute of Green Keepers are here,

:56:00. > :56:03.they do wonderful work. This is a par fire today, the wind coming in

:56:04. > :56:11.off the right, slightly helping him possibly. If your caddy does not

:56:12. > :56:22.know where the Windies, he will say it is swirling fools of -- where the

:56:23. > :56:44.wind is, he will say, it is swirling. Did not see it bounce.

:56:45. > :56:49.Here is the par-5/10, 532 yards. Not too much in the way of bunkers, one

:56:50. > :56:55.side or the other. The second shot is the difficult one, the green is

:56:56. > :57:00.elevated, deep bunker on the right, you can be left with a difficult

:57:01. > :57:10.chip. A reasonably straightforward par five. Garcia missing the fairway

:57:11. > :57:23.with the first time he has used to drive -- driver. Well done. He has

:57:24. > :57:31.played well this year the 36-year-old Japanese player. There

:57:32. > :57:36.are good players all around the world coming out of the woodwork.

:57:37. > :57:44.That is the old clubhouse, several ones on this coastline have similar

:57:45. > :58:03.designs. Grand old Victorian monsters. Cabrera. He has started to

:58:04. > :58:07.play a bit more conservatively. That is interesting, Peter, he has been

:58:08. > :58:14.the aggressive one so far, the other two were aggressive, he get the

:58:15. > :58:24.iron, leaving him 170 yards left. Needs to get this one as high as

:58:25. > :58:31.possible. You can see him trying to cut it, a bit of a Bernard Langer

:58:32. > :58:38.finished. That flag is not easy to get out, you can see it just over

:58:39. > :58:49.the bunker. On the back slope. Up the slope, the putt flattens out,

:58:50. > :59:03.this for birdie. Well done. That is well-deserved. He has peppered the

:59:04. > :59:09.flag so far today. 3-under. After Tiger's aggression off the tee, the

:59:10. > :59:25.first chance to attack the hole position. It can't be terrible,

:59:26. > :59:30.there is some applause. It just stayed out on the right. I'm not

:59:31. > :59:35.sure he should have been that wide, there was not that much wind. It

:59:36. > :59:43.sounds as if it may be freshening a little bit. The flag is barely

:59:44. > :59:49.moving. When play started, at 6:30 a.m., it was absolutely breathless.

:59:50. > :00:08.Stenson, level par. A big lofted club, thumping it at

:00:09. > :00:13.the flag. Stop, yes. That is the advantage of hitting a 3-wood off

:00:14. > :00:22.the tee, going with the sand wedge, really attacking it.

:00:23. > :00:32.Jim Furyk has a putt to go to 3-under par.

:00:33. > :00:45.APPLAUSE Like Old Father Thames, he keeps

:00:46. > :00:50.rolling along! He does, in fact Jim Furyk had a

:00:51. > :00:54.top-five finish here last time. There he is:

:00:55. > :01:12.27 men under par so far. Mr Mr Karlsson's progress started to

:01:13. > :01:20.motor on the back-nine today. He's had his problems over the past few

:01:21. > :01:25.years, chipped in at the 12th. Out by the estuary. That would take

:01:26. > :01:30.him to 1-under par. A man who had to pull out two years

:01:31. > :01:35.ago, couldn't even swing the club, made this short putt at the short

:01:36. > :01:41.15th to take him 2-under. He would follow it up in his 17th Open start

:01:42. > :01:45.by negotiating the 16th in style. This is his third shot. That will be

:01:46. > :01:51.good enough to set up another birdie. An opening round of 69. An

:01:52. > :01:53.early leader in the clubhouse after an early start. He's talking to

:01:54. > :02:01.Russell. Very well played and well worth

:02:02. > :02:06.getting out of bed for. It was very nice. It was a beautiful morning out

:02:07. > :02:10.there. The greens were rolling beautifully, no winds, very nice.

:02:11. > :02:17.You made the back nine easier than the front nine - was that the

:02:18. > :02:22.reality? Whatever the wind is, it is south-easterly, so slightly

:02:23. > :02:28.down-wind. Kit be tricky like on 12 and 14 and you can still get up on

:02:29. > :02:32.the par-5. I would think it will be more on the back than the front.

:02:33. > :02:41.What was the routine for you this morning before your 6. 25am tee off.

:02:42. > :02:48.Did you have a Swedish breakfast. I did. I got up at 4am. I was in bed

:02:49. > :02:53.early and slept well. It is the first time for a long, long time I

:02:54. > :02:57.am up in July and it is dark in the morning. That is a very bad sign! It

:02:58. > :03:02.was well worth it. Well played today. Nice to see him back.

:03:03. > :03:11.Rory McIlroy now driving at the 7th. Do you know, I have never seen him

:03:12. > :03:16.off-balance. He hits it very hard - he's beautifully balanced.

:03:17. > :03:23.He's a wonderful player, isn't he? It is a beautiful action. He's had a

:03:24. > :03:26.decent year. He's had some fantastic rounds. Just one poor score.

:03:27. > :03:39.Garcia, in trouble! The women faced that last week at

:03:40. > :03:45.Royal Birkdale and it is brutal stuff when you get a mixture of long

:03:46. > :03:49.grass and a thick base, clumpy at the bottom. You have to drag it back

:03:50. > :03:51.through the stalks and manage to accelerate the club through and it

:03:52. > :04:08.takes an awful lot of power. This putt should break a little to

:04:09. > :04:22.the right for Tiger's bird attempt, here on the 8th hole.

:04:23. > :04:29.A good try. Needed it closer than that thosmt that's the bottom line.

:04:30. > :04:34.He lies up sometimes a long way back. He hit a 3-wood there. He

:04:35. > :04:40.should have got the wedge a bit closer.

:04:41. > :04:53.He thought he'd got it, I think. For a moment, he thought it was in. He

:04:54. > :05:08.was about to say, "Yes," now, he's thinking, no! The pain, the pain!

:05:09. > :05:14.Tiger Woods and Henrik Stenson seem to be having a very similar tactic.

:05:15. > :05:18.The advantage for Stenson, he can hit this long iron so high and get

:05:19. > :05:24.them to stop so quickly, which is what Tiger could do at one stage.

:05:25. > :05:31.This is a birdie attempt for Stenson.

:05:32. > :05:38.He'sed a about -- he's had about three or four of those already

:05:39. > :05:46.today. I get confused, players seem to be more interested in going to

:05:47. > :05:50.the gym and getting power. Of Seve and Howard, they were the best

:05:51. > :05:54.strikers I saw. They both had back troubles and they were saving their

:05:55. > :05:59.backs and playing more gentle golf. That is when I thought they played

:06:00. > :06:04.their best golf, the same as Tiger. When he tries to bash it he seems to

:06:05. > :06:12.get it out of the way and they seem to go right. If he gripped the club

:06:13. > :06:18.lighter and swung gentle... S I don't know! Just a thought. He seems

:06:19. > :06:28.to be keen to work in the gym than hit it straight.

:06:29. > :06:41.The par-5 should be no worse than a par. Oh, if it stops and it does.

:06:42. > :06:46.And it's off. That's cruel. So nearly a good one.

:06:47. > :06:53.What you were saying about going to the club and all that, I think Tiger

:06:54. > :06:58.could do with swinging smoother. Seems to be in his own way and then

:06:59. > :07:03.out of his own way. It is swinging slower through the ball. I remember

:07:04. > :07:07.that quote 100 years ago - don't hit at the ball, swing through the ball.

:07:08. > :07:09.And if you hit at it, you sometimes get a bit of a snatch and a pull.

:07:10. > :07:22.Oh, this is awkward! The Australian, Matt Jones. This is

:07:23. > :07:26.on the final hole. Oh, what a shot! Brilliant! Absolute brilliance!

:07:27. > :07:45.No-one more surprised than him! That's a nice way to finish from

:07:46. > :07:52.plus-1 to -1. Great tough!

:07:53. > :07:58.-- great stuff! It's been a fantastic morning so

:07:59. > :08:03.far. Five players at 3-under. The telling statistic really is there's

:08:04. > :08:06.about another dozen on 2-under, which means these players are on the

:08:07. > :08:12.verge of pretty much tearing this course apart, as they move into the

:08:13. > :08:17.back nine and three par-5s. Winds staying light. The ball travelling a

:08:18. > :08:19.long way in the warmth. Spectators burning up.

:08:20. > :08:52.There's the leaderboard: Luke Donald here on 10, after a miss

:08:53. > :09:08.judged 3rd shot. At 50 feet. These boys made a hash of their

:09:09. > :09:19.shots, Garcia and Donald. That is a pretty good putt though.

:09:20. > :09:30.I am amazed at the preparation for our championship now. When I played,

:09:31. > :09:38.moans ago, it seemed -- moons ago, it seemed huge. Now you look at the

:09:39. > :09:42.bits and pieces that go into it, from first aid, spectator movement

:09:43. > :09:46.around the course. It is a huge operation. Beautifully done. Not a

:09:47. > :09:55.good result there. A huge press room now.

:09:56. > :10:03.Everything is A huge press room now.

:10:04. > :10:07.able. I read in the paper this morning, congratulation, well

:10:08. > :10:15.premature to Hazel they say in one of the racer papers, he might become

:10:16. > :10:22.a member of the R and As. That is terrific news. Although I may be the

:10:23. > :10:27.800th oldest person in the world, I may still be employed by the BBC in

:10:28. > :10:31.2016. Perhaps it is all a little

:10:32. > :10:41.premature! Rickie Fowler, this to take the lead

:10:42. > :11:13.on his own. The 10th green. 480 yards. A long par-4, 7th. Not a

:11:14. > :11:55.cloud in the... Oh, nasty! Unlucky! To safe his par -- save his par...

:11:56. > :12:02.What's normal the 17th here, this is the 10th. One slip on the par-5.

:12:03. > :12:06.That is a big mistake for surge yo. -- Sergio.

:12:07. > :12:14.It is all a combination of things. It can usually put it back to the

:12:15. > :12:23.tee shot. Some magnificent houses here and

:12:24. > :12:41.along down to the water. A touch of class.

:12:42. > :12:48.390 yard, 11th. If the wind gets behind you can have a go at this

:12:49. > :12:53.green, but today probably not. Just leave yourself with a pitch to the

:12:54. > :13:01.green. Even off an iron it is only a wedge. So a question of how far you

:13:02. > :13:05.want in. There is the front right. Probably an iron up the left side is

:13:06. > :13:28.ideal. Back into the wind today, this hole,

:13:29. > :13:37.playing different to the practise round yesterday.

:13:38. > :14:03.Now McIlroy, a long putt. A little bit unlucky. That's got to turn down

:14:04. > :14:16.the hill. It's doing well. APPLAUSE

:14:17. > :14:23.McIlroy taps it in and continues his very smooth journey.

:14:24. > :14:36.Three under. What's all this then? I tell you

:14:37. > :14:44.what, there's something for everyone. It looks like a posh but

:14:45. > :14:52.lins! -- Butlins. Oh, a champagne bar! Red

:14:53. > :14:57.and white tents missing this year. The Bollinger boys. They have been

:14:58. > :15:01.here many a moon. But never mind, you can still get a glass of the

:15:02. > :15:15.fizzy stuff! Ken Brown and Andrew Cotter will

:15:16. > :15:32.take you on while we just watch Garcia.

:15:33. > :15:39.Not a bad start to the day, Ken. Well, you couldn't get a more

:15:40. > :15:48.idyllic way of the way the weather has performed. It is perfect.

:15:49. > :15:53.The grass just slightly vibrating in the lightest of light breezes. You

:15:54. > :16:01.still have to play some very good golf if you are going to weedle out

:16:02. > :16:06.some birdies. This 9th hole is down-breeze.

:16:07. > :16:28.Should move a little right. Two bogeys to start the day and that

:16:29. > :16:32.one in the 5th. Out in 36. 35 and 37.

:16:33. > :17:20.Tiger Woods remains 1-over. Manassero there, talking about young

:17:21. > :17:51.talents. He's not had his customary one win a year yet.

:17:52. > :18:10.Glorious conditions but the course is holding up OK. There are a few

:18:11. > :18:22.good scores. No-one Good is to see him back after a

:18:23. > :18:28.couple of wrist operations and in that big group on 3 under par.

:18:29. > :18:33.11th and Rickie Fowler has laid up short of the little hump that runs

:18:34. > :18:43.through the fairway. 159 for Fowler. Back into a puff of breeze.

:18:44. > :18:51.A little unlucky. Often gathers from there. That did stop remarkably

:18:52. > :19:09.quickly. Luke four yards closer.

:19:10. > :19:15.A semi-blind shot. They are just seeing the top of the flag from

:19:16. > :19:22.where they are. Pulls from his left. OK. Ten on five from the right,

:19:23. > :19:32.quite tight to the right-hand bunker. Pulled it left.

:19:33. > :19:41.Nine iron for Garcia. 146. I think he tried to get it up on top from

:19:42. > :19:46.the tee. Rolled it back down, so another semi-blind shot for Garcia,

:19:47. > :19:52.but the middle of the fairway. A slightly better angle, the further

:19:53. > :19:57.left you hit your tee shot. It is a little easier to get it to the front

:19:58. > :20:15.right pin. A decent line to come into that. A

:20:16. > :20:21.couple of lose ones in the last couple of holes.

:20:22. > :20:57.532 yards in range for anyone who finds the fairway. A little 3-wood.

:20:58. > :21:07.If he hits a divot out, he makes sure he won't hook it. Just clipping

:21:08. > :21:12.the turf. The second week back after your injury, missing the cup in a

:21:13. > :21:21.previous start, it will be a big ask for Tiger Woods.

:21:22. > :21:35.That is the marine lake. It is on a circular path.

:21:36. > :21:46.It is a nice area around here. It is a hidden little gem.

:21:47. > :21:49.Now Mark Warren got in here because of the Open at Aberdeen. Birdied the

:21:50. > :22:07.first. Very nicely done! Very nice for

:22:08. > :22:14.Warren. He's playing alongside John Singleton now. This one here will

:22:15. > :22:17.test Garcia. Garcia with a, a little bit of a

:22:18. > :22:33.darker pitch here. Delightfully played! Look, jumping

:22:34. > :22:41.for joy! Did so well. Just a bit of pace.

:22:42. > :22:49.I so enjoy watching Garcia play. This one here will test... Plenty of

:22:50. > :22:56.green to play, but a wonderful touch. Only a wedge from McIlroy,

:22:57. > :23:01.who has so far given us a wonderful display of iron play. Crisp,

:23:02. > :23:09.delicate shots. You have to pin-point at this flag

:23:10. > :23:16.and he's done well. A delightful iron, covering the flag again. Rory

:23:17. > :23:22.is right on top form. He is. He's one of eight men

:23:23. > :23:35.co--leading on 3-under par. He is playing beautifully. Yesterday

:23:36. > :23:42.he played with Darren Clarke in practise. The 2011 champion has lost

:23:43. > :23:50.four stones and nine inches of his waist line. The older man had to

:23:51. > :23:56.stump up the cash. No doubt Rory shouted down. There it is. Well

:23:57. > :24:02.played Rory. It could be a rather larger pay cheque at the end of this

:24:03. > :24:11.week. It's not the money. It's not the cash. The amount is irrelevant.

:24:12. > :24:16.With all that money in the bank, ?20 of my hard-earned cash!

:24:17. > :24:23.Those are the most precious ones tpros. -- the Pros.

:24:24. > :24:32.Fowler on the 11th. A chance for him to get to four.

:24:33. > :24:44.That log jam at 3-under at the moment.

:24:45. > :25:04.A par-5 downbreeze. Cabrera-Bello going with this second shot.

:25:05. > :25:25.Woods and Stenson, in good shape n the same group.

:25:26. > :25:29.Jordan Spieth is certainly keeping the bunker extremely busy in this

:25:30. > :25:42.match. It is his fourth visation to the sand in -- visitation.

:25:43. > :25:47.238 yards left. We start to get into the sand dunes part. And the next

:25:48. > :25:52.six holes are sensational. It is the best part of the golf course. A

:25:53. > :26:09.little bit of breeze helping the second shot.

:26:10. > :26:24.A rise up to the green from there where Cabrera and Woods are.

:26:25. > :26:29.All sorts of issues with his back this season.

:26:30. > :26:57.Such fine style in 2010. Big boy Stenson, does have a 5-iron

:26:58. > :27:03.out now. Just conferring a little bit again. What is the play here,

:27:04. > :27:09.Phil? You can land it short and run it in. When you have a 5-iron and

:27:10. > :27:13.hit it as high as Stenson. You think, I can fly it all the way and

:27:14. > :27:15.get it to stop. That's the advantage he does have.

:27:16. > :27:30.He's given that so much height. Oh, stay there! Oh, he's been

:27:31. > :27:32.fortunate, although he was a little unlucky. That did come down very

:27:33. > :27:55.softly from the height. He's giving himself every

:27:56. > :28:01.opportunity. He's had chances. While he was out of position on the 4th,

:28:02. > :28:09.every other hole he's had birdie chances.

:28:10. > :28:10.And taken a few drivers out. He's attack some holes more defensive

:28:11. > :28:20.than others. Late holes, 3-under. This to join that join on 3-under

:28:21. > :28:43.par. Plefrgetsty of players -- plenty

:28:44. > :28:50.over players are under par. The final hole for Marc Leishman.

:28:51. > :29:08.A round of 69 and he joins the top of the leaderboard. Nicely done.

:29:09. > :29:20.Hideki Matsuyama, this to lead on his own.

:29:21. > :29:29.APPLAUSE Got his first victory on the PGA

:29:30. > :29:43.this year, where he won the Memorial Tournament.

:29:44. > :29:53.His name I am informed means "pine mountain." A great group this,

:29:54. > :30:18.Matsuyama and McIlroy. rugby international Andy Nicol who

:30:19. > :30:25.is also a keen golfer. It seems quite soon -- it was great recently

:30:26. > :30:29.that Paul Lawrie one, 15 years ago. There are some good young players

:30:30. > :30:34.but Paul Lawrie 's game is not there is it could've been a few years ago.

:30:35. > :30:39.The challenge will come from Stephen Gallacher. He is in the mix for the

:30:40. > :30:44.Ryder Cup. He played well at Royal Aberdeen and he likes golf. He is

:30:45. > :30:52.really consistent. I have got an each way bet on him. Do you know the

:30:53. > :30:57.tale of the golden pineapples? It used to be a racetrack around the

:30:58. > :31:01.course. They did golf and horse racing at the same time. Kos

:31:02. > :31:06.Liverpool was a global port, they thought they would give the winning

:31:07. > :31:10.jockey a sign of that heritage and the prize was a pineapple and for

:31:11. > :31:11.that reason they are golden pineapples either side of the

:31:12. > :31:33.practice putting green. Tiger Woods of the slope at the

:31:34. > :31:45.10th. That is a better view of the elevation that he is facing.

:31:46. > :31:51.Tiger did not hit a ball for a couple of months. Just some parting

:31:52. > :31:58.so his parting should be in good shape. John McLaren with his

:31:59. > :32:17.familiar socks beside Luke Donald. This is not as big a dogleg on the

:32:18. > :32:52.12 as it is on 14. It popped into the ear and landed 20

:32:53. > :33:57.yards short. There's a definite delay at the top

:33:58. > :34:03.of swing for Hideki Matsuyama. That is some executive landing to get the

:34:04. > :34:06.best of the traffic. Onto Rory McIlroy. It will be looking for

:34:07. > :34:25.action as it hits the green. Very nice. It is about 193 yards

:34:26. > :34:33.covered by an 8-iron. They do somebody is that is lifting behind

:34:34. > :34:42.the players. -- that is some disease.

:34:43. > :35:10.It is so easy to do that, the kit out to the right. -- move it out to

:35:11. > :35:21.the right. What is the body language for Tiger?

:35:22. > :35:29.What is the body lying is like for Tiger? He is being very patient. --

:35:30. > :35:50.body language. that he marks to help. A lot of the

:35:51. > :36:19.players do that. He gathered that up and it seemed a

:36:20. > :36:23.nice straight. Wonderfully played. The rough on the left of banking is

:36:24. > :36:30.as bad as any around the course. That was a gem. Stephen Gallacher

:36:31. > :36:58.has a chance for a body on Hall six. He defended his title in to buy and

:36:59. > :37:09.he is looking very good for a place in the Ryder Cup team. There are 11

:37:10. > :37:28.players tied at 3-under. -- in Dubai.

:37:29. > :37:33.He is casting very hard to get back to his former place in the game. He

:37:34. > :37:39.is casting very hard to get back to his former place in the game. Each

:37:40. > :37:43.that he is working hard. You sometimes do not work on the short

:37:44. > :37:51.game quite as hard. It happens to a lot of players. Just attempting to

:37:52. > :38:39.nip this one onto the parting suffers.

:38:40. > :38:51.Wonderful touch from that distance from Sergio Garcia. He looks are now

:38:52. > :39:01.very happy place both off and on the course at the moment. -- he looks

:39:02. > :39:06.like he is now in a very happy place. He just had that one blemish.

:39:07. > :39:24.He leads the PGA Tour en/average place. He just had that one blemish.

:39:25. > :39:35.this season. -- on stroke average. Another man to have it on a 69,

:39:36. > :39:39.conditions look idyllic but it is easy for me to see that sitting

:39:40. > :39:44.here. How did you find it? Conditions are perfect. This is

:39:45. > :39:59.basically no wind and the greens are perfect. 69 was a good start. Nice

:40:00. > :40:03.to be under-par. This is your fourth crack at the Open Championship, you

:40:04. > :40:07.have not had an enormous amount of success, that he had to play in

:40:08. > :40:13.difficult conditions? I have played in some difficult conditions. I

:40:14. > :40:17.played at Saint Andrews in early and did not do anything at the end of

:40:18. > :40:22.the week. It was good to get out the elderly and put a good score on the

:40:23. > :40:31.board for the first round. Hopefully I can change my open record. I am

:40:32. > :40:39.ready for the winter. -- get out early. I expect to hit quite a few

:40:40. > :40:42.wind shots elderly -- later in the week. Very well done. Thank you very

:40:43. > :41:02.much. He stays at nine -- he stays at

:41:03. > :41:24.3-under par but a very tidy first nine holes.

:41:25. > :41:42.Tiger with the ion of the key on the 11th. It is a rolling fairway. --

:41:43. > :42:19.iron on he came through the many points list

:42:20. > :42:23.on the Japanese Tour. He took his chance nicely. He has played in

:42:24. > :42:25.three opens before but he has missed the cut every time. That is a round

:42:26. > :42:54.of 69. Rickie Fowler. He is now at 4-under.

:42:55. > :43:06.Five foot nine and just over ten stone in weight. His game has been

:43:07. > :43:08.tweaked and he looks very good. He looks to have patented up a little

:43:09. > :43:53.bit. -- to have tightened it up. It often rolls back but today he has

:43:54. > :44:09.been lucky. 181 yards into the winter for Sergio Garcia.

:44:10. > :44:18.There was a little hop onto the parting syrup -- parting suffers.

:44:19. > :44:34.This is a tricky pin. The bunkers should not be in play. The code

:44:35. > :44:58.looks like they are ten deeper. -- the Kuroda.

:44:59. > :45:05.That was generous applause from somebody. It is a lovely part of the

:45:06. > :45:14.course. You can see the estuary. It is tucked away on its own, this

:45:15. > :45:32.hall. It is beautifully staged. You open the grandstands and it is given

:45:33. > :45:38.in front of them. -- it is given. The stands are very steep. It just

:45:39. > :45:43.adds to the atmosphere on the final hole. For all of the planning that

:45:44. > :45:55.goes into placing the stands just to make sure people get the best view.

:45:56. > :46:18.Wonderful shot. It is needed after a tap in birdie. -- it is near enough.

:46:19. > :46:51.This is the shortest hole on the course. It can be very friendly, the

:46:52. > :46:54.15th. There are a few bunkers around here. He is into that group on

:46:55. > :47:11.3-under. There are some desirable residences

:47:12. > :47:22.down near. Those houses must be very nice places to live.

:47:23. > :47:38.That had beautiful weight behind it. It is ten years ago now that he won

:47:39. > :47:48.the Dunhill links. He obviously knows how to get it done on links

:47:49. > :47:50.golf. He has never been in the top ten at a major and he's not been any

:47:51. > :48:15.American Majors very much. When the ball leaves the pitching

:48:16. > :48:38.wedge from Tiger Woods, it is travelling at 1200 rpm.

:48:39. > :48:43.That was Rickie Fowler 's body attend at the 13th. He is a leader

:48:44. > :49:22.at the moment. -- birdie attempt. He struck it well, he struck it did

:49:23. > :49:26.very well. Tiger. Business as usual. This is just a bit of a spring in

:49:27. > :49:47.his step. It has been a struggle so far today.

:49:48. > :49:55.Sergio Garcia joins Rickie Fowler, the two men at the top of the

:49:56. > :49:57.leaderboard playing together, helping each other along. Sergio

:49:58. > :50:18.Garcia looks in very good shape indeed. Get ready for the Canadian

:50:19. > :50:55.year low on Sunday. -- canary yellow.

:50:56. > :51:33.There are currently 36 players under-par.

:51:34. > :51:36.Not his finest from Rory McIlroy but it has been a good front nine for

:51:37. > :52:42.the Northern Irishman. Brooks Koepka really does hurt at a

:52:43. > :52:49.country mile. He has got a broad shoulders. He is playing with Rory

:52:50. > :53:27.McIlroy and he has hit it past Rory McIlroy on a couple of occasions.

:53:28. > :53:32.This hall was harder than 2006 because everything was bouncing

:53:33. > :53:37.towards those bunkers on the right-hand side. The fairways are

:53:38. > :53:46.much more yielding than they were last year, the ball is landing

:53:47. > :54:10.pretty softly. The wind seems to be strengthening just a little bit.

:54:11. > :54:51.This is where Tiger Woods holed out with a four I am back in 2006. Here

:54:52. > :55:19.are all of the tee shots down this hall.

:55:20. > :55:28.They would for Rickie Fowler. That is another example of the softness

:55:29. > :55:40.of the fairways. That is not running at all. Rory McIlroy has to get up

:55:41. > :55:55.quite a slope. He is looking very good, very

:55:56. > :56:45.impressive. He is plotting a little bit up the

:56:46. > :57:11.slope. -- parting. It is the simple list of bodies. He moves to 1-under

:57:12. > :57:12.par. 230,000 they had back in 2006. Only Saint Andrews has had more

:57:13. > :58:16.people attend. To finish off with a body, Rory

:58:17. > :58:20.McIlroy played a delicious chip from the left-hand side. It was not an

:58:21. > :58:30.easy shot but he'd made it look easy. Another great birdie.

:58:31. > :58:45.Five way tie at the top and Rory McIlroy is one of those.

:58:46. > :59:25.Things are starting to shape up a little bit better for Tiger Woods.

:59:26. > :00:03.Five way tie at the top at 4-under. He knows it went left and he was

:00:04. > :00:42.hoping for the kick. It is not too bad, it got out of the thick stuff.

:00:43. > :00:47.fairway. But he's blind to this tight pin.

:00:48. > :01:04.The softness of the bounce. A good time to bring in Mark James. Thanks

:01:05. > :01:13.for that. Who's he been working with on his swing? Do you know? Yes,

:01:14. > :01:16.Butch Harman. He lost his previous instructor a few years ago. He sadly

:01:17. > :01:31.passed away. Luke Donald in a prime position in

:01:32. > :01:37.the fairway. 158 for Donald. Clear view of the flag. A little bit of

:01:38. > :01:39.breeze. Possibly as strong as it has been all day, but nothing too

:01:40. > :01:48.significant at this stage. Donald, another player who has

:01:49. > :01:53.attempted to change his swing. It doesn't look as different as

:01:54. > :02:04.Fowler's. Tried to turn the arms with the shoulders more instead of

:02:05. > :02:09.on separate plains. No reward just yet, but...

:02:10. > :02:19.We are going to move over to the range and Ricky is there with Brandt

:02:20. > :02:26.Snedeker. How excited are you about taking on

:02:27. > :02:31.Hoylake? Excited. Judging by the weather forecast I have seen,

:02:32. > :02:35.getting it today. It will get tough over the weekend. I am excited. I

:02:36. > :02:39.love coming over here. Seen every condition there has been. There are

:02:40. > :02:47.some low scores out there. If you hit the ball in the right spot. It

:02:48. > :02:54.is fun. I will let you crack on. Thank you. Snedeker was well

:02:55. > :03:03.positioned a few years ago in Lytham St.Anne's.

:03:04. > :03:10.You can see all the undulations around the 14th green and mark that

:03:11. > :03:15.roll-off on that right side, always to be avoided. Absolutely. They have

:03:16. > :03:19.done a lot of that. They have created more of these roll-off

:03:20. > :03:24.areas. Any part of the green that goes down at the side, they have

:03:25. > :03:28.shaved it to fairway length. They have made it slightly tougher for

:03:29. > :03:32.the players. What you see on the right there, there is a mound and

:03:33. > :03:40.they have let the grass grow. It toughens the grass up a fraction.

:03:41. > :03:44.A chance for a birdie for Stenson, on the 12th.

:03:45. > :03:49.Move a little left. He's hit the ball so well. Just not

:03:50. > :03:54.making putts. I was not expecting this. Look at this! My word! He's

:03:55. > :03:58.not been putting great. He's hit the ball sensationally, but that is

:03:59. > :04:06.something else. As they say in the States, he's

:04:07. > :04:12.de-greened it. That is in a pretty impressive fashion. Completely

:04:13. > :04:19.blanked out. Back to 14.

:04:20. > :04:25.Garcia finished in a good spot here. Out with the putter again because

:04:26. > :04:31.the fringes are so pure. As good as most greens at most clubs. Just over

:04:32. > :04:37.30-35 feet here for Garcia. And Scott, they seem to have learnt from

:04:38. > :04:54.Stenson at the US Open, putting off the green. Yes, the fringes are so

:04:55. > :05:03.pure, there's hardly any blem mishs. They -- blemishes.

:05:04. > :05:11.They are happy to take the putter out.

:05:12. > :05:41.Luke Donald, with his birdie attempt.

:05:42. > :05:48.I think Luke was very surprised there when he got up and saw how far

:05:49. > :05:51.past the flag his ball had finished. He thought he'd hit a better shot.

:05:52. > :06:02.Still a birdie chance for him. The pace is good.

:06:03. > :06:24.Just drifted at the end. Now, Rory... Nice little launch pad

:06:25. > :06:26.for McIlroy. Into the breeze, 9-iron, a bunker waiting on the

:06:27. > :06:39.right. Did you see where that went, Mo?

:06:40. > :06:47.That is 15-20 yards short of the green. It calm into some very heavy

:06:48. > :06:59.rough. Ed to carry another -- needed to carry another 15 yards. Don't

:07:00. > :07:07.know if he mis-hit or not. So, after all the wait, and all the

:07:08. > :07:18.absence from the game, a red number goes up alongside Tiger Woods.

:07:19. > :07:37.The sort of putt that looks fast with the slope from the green beyond

:07:38. > :07:50.the hole. The easy par-3, 15th to come and

:07:51. > :07:54.then two par-5s in the last three, so every chance of five, six, even

:07:55. > :08:13.7-under. Scores are matching the weather so

:08:14. > :08:18.far. It is pretty hot and this is the way it looks. We have seven of

:08:19. > :08:46.them at 4-under par. Let's remind you of the story of

:08:47. > :08:50.Edoardo's round. He has this to go 3-under for the day. There it goes.

:08:51. > :08:56.The side door, but they all count. Now his approach to the 18th. This

:08:57. > :08:58.is the last of the par-4 fives here at Liverpool. This would yield the

:08:59. > :09:03.last of his birdie opportunities as well. He would take it and the

:09:04. > :09:12.former Ryder Cup player in the mood to make up for lost time in this

:09:13. > :09:21.event. Here he comes. On to the 18th. Two from there and that's a

:09:22. > :09:25.round of 68 from Edoardo. A good day indeed. Let's get his thoughts with

:09:26. > :09:31.Russell. A 68 to begin Open Championship week

:09:32. > :09:35.and nearly finished in fabulous style with that eagle putt on the

:09:36. > :09:40.18th. I hit the ball very well today. It was a great finish. Birdie

:09:41. > :09:44.the last three. I think there's no wind out there today. It is probably

:09:45. > :09:48.the easiest the course will play all week. I think I hit the ball really

:09:49. > :09:53.well and it gave me a lot of chances. It was good to finish with

:09:54. > :09:57.two birdies out of the last two par-5s. Could you afford to attack

:09:58. > :10:02.the course? Do you have to be cautious because this is set up for

:10:03. > :10:06.an Open Championship after all? I think it's very important that you

:10:07. > :10:12.keep the ball in play, off the tee especially, because the banks are

:10:13. > :10:15.still and some of the players were difficult to get to. Some of the

:10:16. > :10:19.times you were playing for the middle of the green. You have a lot

:10:20. > :10:24.of patience out here. Take your chances and hit the holes and putts.

:10:25. > :10:28.When the sun shines the spectators are in a good voice. It seems like a

:10:29. > :10:32.fantastic atmosphere out there? It is fantastic. Any time you play an

:10:33. > :10:36.Open, it is unbelievable. There are a lot of people. I think with the

:10:37. > :10:40.good scoring as well, they are enjoying it as well. We wish you

:10:41. > :10:48.well for the rest of the week. Thank you very much.

:10:49. > :10:56.So a little bump and run. That guarantees Rory's part and that was

:10:57. > :11:07.a good 15-20 yards short. Edoardo Molinari playing in his

:11:08. > :11:20.fifth Open Championship. Speaking of amateurs, Ashley

:11:21. > :11:27.Chesters, wrapping up. Speaking of amateurs, Ashley

:11:28. > :11:35.The 24-year-old, won the European Amateurs last year. That is a nice

:11:36. > :11:43.performance today. What looks like what used to be a

:11:44. > :11:46.bunker many years ago, and Jordan Spieth...

:11:47. > :11:50.APPLAUSE The golf course just set up

:11:51. > :11:54.perfectly today. Push some of the flags, a little tough, perhaps put

:11:55. > :11:59.them a yard or two close tore the edges because of the weather

:12:00. > :12:01.forecast. -- closer to the edges because of the weather forecast.

:12:02. > :12:29.Still littered with red numbers. Jim Furyk going through his regular

:12:30. > :12:36.routine. Did you say "irregular? " He's

:12:37. > :12:39.trying to continue the run of 40-somethings. You never know, this

:12:40. > :12:47.year, Furyk might add to that. This is one of three over 40s in the

:12:48. > :13:06.top ranks. Now Tiger. Trying to hit a fairly heavy draw.

:13:07. > :13:10.What a wonderful shot! APPLAUSE

:13:11. > :13:20.Moving it across the green to that pin position. A nicely-shaped shot.

:13:21. > :13:42.This was the easiest of the par-3s back in '06.

:13:43. > :13:48.Quite a long way out in the club there. I don't know if the wind is

:13:49. > :13:55.starting to pick up a little, but not before time if it is. This is

:13:56. > :14:02.Hideki Matsuyama. -- Matteo Mannassero.

:14:03. > :14:08.This for a birdie. Oh, yes, a lovely putt from Matteo. Go to 4-under.

:14:09. > :14:14.Former tour player is caddying for him. Alberto is 50 in a couple of

:14:15. > :14:20.months and he'll try his hand on the senior tour next year.

:14:21. > :14:26.We have three bunkers standing guard down the right-hand side here,

:14:27. > :14:30.covering 30 yards. Miss them, but be as far right as

:14:31. > :14:34.you can to get the best view into the green and that is a great shot

:14:35. > :14:42.from Rory. There used to be a bunker on the left side that was taken out

:14:43. > :14:44.from '06. He's popular wherever he plays now,

:14:45. > :14:58.Rory. Tonnes of people are following this

:14:59. > :15:07.group. Jordan Spieth is next to play. His

:15:08. > :15:13.caddie's yard book is blowing around in the wind. Just a little bit of a

:15:14. > :15:17.draft, but really a pleasant day and these players have to consider that

:15:18. > :15:21.the moment it is nothing than a par-68. They have to make their

:15:22. > :15:26.scores while the conditions are this good.

:15:27. > :15:38.That is right at the bunkers. Rough not ridiculously severe.

:15:39. > :15:49.Patchy in places. You can be very lucky, but you can be unlucky.

:15:50. > :15:56.There's a ribbon of fairway here that when you get opposite the first

:15:57. > :16:06.bunk oren the right it is 26 yards wide. It is on an gel, so it plays

:16:07. > :16:14.-- on an angle, so it plays much narrower.

:16:15. > :16:24.That is miles off-line. Good to hear them shout, though.

:16:25. > :16:31.It's been a wicked front nine for Poulter, as you can see. Out on 49.

:16:32. > :16:36.So, maybe just two putts and get one of them back here.

:16:37. > :16:39.Correct that! What about getting two back?

:16:40. > :16:48.APPLAUSE The Englishman playing at home.

:16:49. > :16:54.Garcia with a pretty treacherous putt here. It is one of those putts

:16:55. > :16:59.that the more he goes left, the more it will break for him. 45 feet.

:17:00. > :17:01.Looking just to roll this one up within the dustbin lid. He would be

:17:02. > :17:43.quite happy with that. Stenson had made a mess, a double

:17:44. > :18:03.bogey-six. It might explain why that putt was a little timid.

:18:04. > :18:11.Probably still confused as to how he made double bogey when he was on the

:18:12. > :18:17.green in two and had to fair them. Phil, a chance for three in a row

:18:18. > :18:22.here. I was going to say, we're back to business as usual. He was out for

:18:23. > :18:27.four months, played two competitive rounds of golf. Played it

:18:28. > :18:31.conservative earlier on. He seems to have loosened up and a putt like

:18:32. > :18:38.this. Normally Tiger doesn't miss this type of putt. Boy, if he does,

:18:39. > :18:44.he's not happy. His start, bogeying the first two holes. Yes, I know.

:18:45. > :18:51.Well, he bogeyed the first when he won her, was it 2006 -- won here,

:18:52. > :18:54.was it 2006? What is interesting with Tiger is you get the hole

:18:55. > :18:58.position on the left and he drew that one in. It landed the middle of

:18:59. > :19:03.the green. It worked towards the hole. He does the same if the hole

:19:04. > :19:09.is on the right. He feeds it in. A lot of players do not do that. Tiger

:19:10. > :19:15.can get close to some positions very easily.

:19:16. > :19:23.A lovely putt. APPLAUSE

:19:24. > :19:27.2-under. Back in touch. It is only the first

:19:28. > :19:33.round today, but really you don't want to be over 70. At pretty much

:19:34. > :19:37.the most, I would say, when you look at the scores at the end of the day.

:19:38. > :19:44.It will be massive, fours, fives. It is amazing, to be out of the game

:19:45. > :19:49.that long and you get a sniff he's hitting in the right direction. Now

:19:50. > :19:55.Rickie Fowler. By far his worst putt of the day.

:19:56. > :20:09.He's not sure of the line stroke, that one.

:20:10. > :20:13.Now Luke Donald, this is for a bogey. What's been happening, Scott?

:20:14. > :20:18.Well, he's looking to clean this one up. He was in the left trap.

:20:19. > :20:21.A very tough bunker shot. Where this pin is today, it is hard to get

:20:22. > :20:24.close, as you can seen Rickie pin is today, it is hard to get

:20:25. > :20:32.taking three putts as well. It is a pretty good way to enjoy the

:20:33. > :21:00.golf. Obviously, nonalcoholic. What a surprise - a fight back from

:21:01. > :21:04.Poulter. His wrists are taped up. More

:21:05. > :21:16.precautionary. One birdie and all pars up to this

:21:17. > :21:25.point. Looks solid. Will it get there? No. A couple

:21:26. > :21:31.under. Playing with the former champion

:21:32. > :21:45.from 2009 and Patrick Reed, an up and coming young American.

:21:46. > :21:55.If 4-iron many years ago. This is my favourite hole, the 14th, dog leg.

:21:56. > :22:03.Right-to-left. And into the breeze today.

:22:04. > :22:09.Way too far left. We saw the spread of the drives on the graphics

:22:10. > :22:11.earlier. I am pretty sure everyone over there made bogey. That is not

:22:12. > :22:27.the place to be blind second shot. I was exz pecting maybe a little --

:22:28. > :22:28.expecting maybe a little more club into this breeze today. The second

:22:29. > :23:01.shot can be fairly demanding. The crowd seemed happy with it. He's

:23:02. > :23:05.smiling. The player's badge pinned to his

:23:06. > :23:07.hat. So many of the players keep it there.

:23:08. > :23:37.Here's Stenson. It is a good beat with dha 5-iron.

:23:38. > :23:42.He's forced that up to the edge, which is a very good result indeed.

:23:43. > :23:47.More than the front edge. A birdie chance now. That was a really good

:23:48. > :23:52.shot. Well McIlroy was the only one of

:23:53. > :23:59.these three to find the prepared surface. He has 153 yards left, into

:24:00. > :24:02.this green, that is shaped rather like a policeman's helmet I has a

:24:03. > :24:10.severe drop away on the right-hand side. This is an 8-iron he's going

:24:11. > :24:19.with. It would make sense. Certainly not a

:24:20. > :24:20.big one. A pretty good shot.

:24:21. > :24:40.APPLAUSE The driver out.

:24:41. > :24:45.Two par-5s here. Tla looks like that has laced down

:24:46. > :24:55.the -- that looks like that has laced down the middle.

:24:56. > :25:09.Also in the group, Rickie Fowler. Just hovers that driver before he

:25:10. > :25:16.starts to take away. This one - hopefully it has avoided

:25:17. > :25:22.the thick stuff. If it is in the trampled down area, it might be all

:25:23. > :25:31.right. Hopefully it didn't hit that gentleman on the leg.

:25:32. > :25:37.Just a flesh wound, I think, I am sure he's seen worse.

:25:38. > :25:42.Dan Walker is lurking around somewhere. We hope you are enjoying

:25:43. > :25:45.our coverage of the 134rd Open Championship this year. It is your

:25:46. > :25:50.opportunity to tell us who you think will win the Claret Jug at the end

:25:51. > :25:55.of the weekend. We have some options on the screen for you. You can vote

:25:56. > :26:02.by the BBC website or tweeting, using one of those hashtags. If you

:26:03. > :26:06.don't think we have chosen the right players you can

:26:07. > :26:14.Full terms and conditions are on the BBC Sport website. No Claret Jugs up

:26:15. > :26:19.for grabs, just the pride of you knowing what you are talking about.

:26:20. > :26:25.And if you go to full terms and conditions, I think you have a

:26:26. > :26:36.little too much time on your hands. Tiger, left rough.

:26:37. > :26:44.Phil, this should be a real test for the back. We know it has been rehab.

:26:45. > :26:50.This is going to need a full blow from here.

:26:51. > :26:56.The ball is at least two inches off the ground. You couldn't tee it up

:26:57. > :26:59.any better. Very fortunate. 179 yards left. Completely blind into

:27:00. > :27:15.the breeze. It has teed up. He has swung like it

:27:16. > :27:19.was six inches down. It looked like it came out a trifle hot.

:27:20. > :27:40.Interference on the line. We apologise if anything was picked

:27:41. > :27:45.up there. Now, Cabrera after a great tee shot. Hitting up the slope, into

:27:46. > :27:48.the breeze. The right hole position.

:27:49. > :28:06.185 yards. He's been playing well lately,

:28:07. > :28:12.Cabrear. Finding this course -- Cabrera.

:28:13. > :28:18.Finding this course, sometimes you feel tired. Sometimes when you feel

:28:19. > :28:21.great, the opposite. Spieth has single putted seven of

:28:22. > :28:46.the opening 11 greens. Avoiding his player's wide line

:28:47. > :28:52.there, if you wonder why he's got the stance. Very much a tour move,

:28:53. > :28:57.that. Second shot for Stenson.

:28:58. > :29:04.A little bit of aggression you can make these shows so short.

:29:05. > :29:12.Even a shot like that, you should not make mistakes. That is a full

:29:13. > :29:24.six feet below the level of the surface.

:29:25. > :29:34.Now Matsuyama bearing down at 12. Well, he really did have a poor

:29:35. > :29:38.chip. It wasn't the worst lie I have ever seen. This will come from his

:29:39. > :29:43.left to right. This is quite a speedy putt. He's standing on the

:29:44. > :30:14.high ets part of the green. -- highest part of the green.

:30:15. > :30:36.If Rory McIlroy is feeling confident, he can afford to get it

:30:37. > :30:53.with a bit of pace. We will go to 18. We have one

:30:54. > :31:17.Molinari in the clubhouse. I wonder who will pick up the dinner

:31:18. > :31:31.tab tonight? It will not be the caddies. Sergio

:31:32. > :31:53.Garcia after that perfect drive. Just hung on to it. Was trying to

:31:54. > :32:13.feed it in, it did not move. Another player that has reached the

:32:14. > :32:24.par-5, how can we forget what he did at St Andrews?

:32:25. > :32:33.It was amazing, so long and so Street. Reminiscent of Rory McIlroy.

:32:34. > :32:42.Some of these boys have raised the bar on accuracy.

:32:43. > :33:02.He was forced to bump and run it up the hill. Excellent shot.

:33:03. > :33:14.That is the practice putting green right in front of the clubhouse. I

:33:15. > :33:16.think this was built in 1895. It has been refurbished since. It is a

:33:17. > :33:34.lovely spot. The last play today is six minutes

:33:35. > :33:43.past four. As you can see, the leader is

:33:44. > :33:54.5-under. We will have a look at him in a

:33:55. > :34:14.minute as he goes to the 13th. Tiger played safe with his chip

:34:15. > :34:17.shot. It was almost impossible, and he now has this one to try and save

:34:18. > :34:33.par. He did not even go for the chip

:34:34. > :34:41.shot. It was too scary. How about that one? It shows how the

:34:42. > :34:48.television flattens things off a little bit. Three birdies in a row

:34:49. > :34:51.and then gave one back. That will annoy him a lot. The loss of

:34:52. > :35:14.momentum is the key. This is my favourite hole on a golf

:35:15. > :35:20.course. He hit a fairly good tee shot coming out of this. Has to make

:35:21. > :35:30.this one to save par. Really good save from down there.

:35:31. > :36:07.Got away with it. It requires a bit of imagination, it

:36:08. > :36:13.is nicknamed the Alps. Winning the Open Championship is akin to

:36:14. > :36:21.climbing the Alps. Safely finds the surface. Each group has their own

:36:22. > :36:27.rules official. It means they will not have a problem figuring anything

:36:28. > :36:34.out. Nice, purposeful stride. Stephen Gallacher. This is for

:36:35. > :36:40.eagle. That would have put him 4-under. It takes him to 3-under

:36:41. > :36:56.when he popped back in. Has been playing some really good golf.

:36:57. > :37:03.Long birdie opportunity for Sergio Garcia here, after getting his

:37:04. > :37:15.bunker shot very heavy. Very disappointed with the result.

:37:16. > :37:42.I think he completely miss read it. He misjudged the pace.

:37:43. > :37:54.He's played some good stuff, Sergio Garcia, this year. The one he really

:37:55. > :38:02.wants is to win this event. Or certainly a major. This would be the

:38:03. > :38:17.best of the lot. That takes him to 4-under.

:38:18. > :38:31.We are just littered with players on 4-under. A little shake of the head.

:38:32. > :38:39.He's been a little off the mark today.

:38:40. > :38:47.Has had quite a lot of pressure. He is not firing on all cylinders. It

:38:48. > :38:56.puts pressure on the chipping and putting. Plus it is an Englishman

:38:57. > :39:01.playing at home. Majors have not always been kind to Luke Donald. A

:39:02. > :39:08.little test for Sergio Garcia. We saw the ball moving to the right.

:39:09. > :39:13.This one has to be on the left edge. Much better stroke.

:39:14. > :39:27.Could have made for, could have made six. Walks away with five.

:39:28. > :39:39.He is disappointed, but I've never seen a card ruined by a par. Now

:39:40. > :39:44.then. This swing has stood the test of time, it is remarkable, but he is

:39:45. > :39:47.still a wonderful player. Current world number 11. Not one of his best

:39:48. > :40:13.I youngster, playing in his fourth Championship. It spins back 15 feet.

:40:14. > :40:30.Nice par-5 that bend to the right. This is a slow feeder in from left

:40:31. > :40:34.to right. The green will throw this off to the left-hand side. It is all

:40:35. > :40:43.about pace. It is a much longer part than he would have liked.

:40:44. > :41:12.Beautifully done. Tiger. He looks pretty comfortable driving

:41:13. > :41:18.the ball into these left-sided holes. That was a simple one today,

:41:19. > :41:33.15. This is the other par-3, outside

:41:34. > :41:42.chance for Rory McIlroy. Thursdays seem to be his day. They certainly

:41:43. > :41:46.do. I'm interested in watching his parting routine. Yet again, no

:41:47. > :41:54.practice stroke, getting right up to the ball. Excellent speed. No sign

:41:55. > :42:07.of fear in that part. His feet might be close, he will do

:42:08. > :42:26.the right thing and Mark. An explosion of turf, thumped down

:42:27. > :42:29.on that. I would not recommend that for the average golfer, you will get

:42:30. > :42:37.mud all over your face. Matteo Manassero, to draw level with

:42:38. > :42:55.Rory McIlroy. He has played beautifully today. It

:42:56. > :42:59.is a score that does not match the age. Huge victory last year and he

:43:00. > :43:10.continues to get better. Quite right, only 21 years of age.

:43:11. > :43:15.You forget he has four victories on the European Tour already. Matteo

:43:16. > :43:18.Manassero warmed up in lovely fashion at the Scottish open with a

:43:19. > :43:24.top five finish and he has produced it here again. The best score of the

:43:25. > :43:28.day so far. He is one of three battalions on there. We have Eduardo

:43:29. > :43:38.Molinari, we heard from him earlier, and his younger brother has

:43:39. > :43:45.rather upstaged him. -- Italians. C from his small brother. I imagine

:43:46. > :43:51.that has turned a very good morning's work into the perfect

:43:52. > :43:56.morning. Nearly. Just a couple of bogeys on the scorecard to not make

:43:57. > :44:03.it perfectly, but an excellent morning. Conditions were ideal all

:44:04. > :44:10.morning. I love the course. I've been here since Sunday, I think it

:44:11. > :44:20.is a relief ear test of golf. It is all in front of you. -- a very fair

:44:21. > :44:28.test. UI the second Molinari to occupy that chair in the last 30

:44:29. > :44:33.minutes. -- you are. Were you watching your brother? I kept an eye

:44:34. > :44:40.on him. He was faster than me so I had to do the catch up, but I was

:44:41. > :44:45.just happy to post a good score. Puts me in a good position. Can you

:44:46. > :44:52.remember the last time both of you were in contention in a big

:44:53. > :45:01.Championship like this? We have played together in the last couple

:45:02. > :45:11.of times, so I need to improve my record when playing alongside him.

:45:12. > :45:17.There is a long time to go, and I will see what he does, but obviously

:45:18. > :45:21.I will try to focus on my game. It is hard enough to post a good score

:45:22. > :45:26.without watching what the others are doing. You need to prove you are the

:45:27. > :45:36.best Molinari in the field. Thank you for your time.

:45:37. > :45:45.There have been many famous brother partnerships over the years. The

:45:46. > :46:00.most famous Werther Whitcomb brothers. -- were at. It has been a

:46:01. > :46:30.grand morning so far. He is lucky. Tiger on the prowl. After a slow

:46:31. > :46:34.start, he has upped his pace. Has been a little untidy, has had three

:46:35. > :46:45.birdies. Drop a shot at the last hole. He has got it back. 67 is the

:46:46. > :46:59.best score. I'm sure somebody could do 64, 63.

:47:00. > :47:06.What a lovely pace. He keeps his head and body so still. Lovely

:47:07. > :47:22.birdie. If he does score under 70 after his

:47:23. > :47:33.shaky start, that would be a very good round of golf.

:47:34. > :48:04.Horrible, just when you want to land the ball. It takes it away from the

:48:05. > :48:12.flag. Has only given one birdie away. Very

:48:13. > :48:57.tricky to get at from there. Rickie Fowler going over to one of

:48:58. > :49:04.the sprinklers. Trying to get the yardage. The powers that be really

:49:05. > :49:11.try to accommodate the players now, giving them all the little tips. It

:49:12. > :49:20.is so fraught from here, so far from there. -- so far from here. Yet it

:49:21. > :49:22.still takes five hours. You can work out whether it is uphill or downhill

:49:23. > :49:39.with these lasers nowadays. 170 two the pin. He is just studying

:49:40. > :50:08.it. He does not care for it. It might

:50:09. > :50:15.have been a lot worse. Obviously a perfectionist.

:50:16. > :50:37.I'm not sure if that was a driver or a 3-wood. Here it comes. You lucky

:50:38. > :50:50.Tiger. That is worth a stroke. Change of fortune, maybe.

:50:51. > :50:59.Nice par-5 here. The breeze as changed direction -- has changed

:51:00. > :51:22.direction. He can get there in two. Did Tiger take a driver? I'm about

:51:23. > :51:40.100 yards away. I was not expecting driver. Angel Cabrera has got the

:51:41. > :51:42.big furniture out. He has used that a few times and hit it incredibly

:51:43. > :52:02.well. Anxious... There he is. I know some people disagree but I

:52:03. > :52:08.notice in the background the tide is on the move, and some people say the

:52:09. > :52:20.wind can change. 7-iron, straight into the wind. Much

:52:21. > :52:34.easier shot than if it was the prevailing wind from left to right.

:52:35. > :52:40.Slightly unsighted. It is amazing, nobody has beaten 63 in a major

:52:41. > :52:49.Championship yet. You have a day of good ball striking, anything is

:52:50. > :52:53.possible. I remember when the Argentine fellow went round

:52:54. > :53:14.Muirfield. Mixed bag. We are getting a few

:53:15. > :53:22.Europeans up there now but it really is a United Nations scoreboard. That

:53:23. > :53:31.is a nice opening score. Thomas Bjorn is going along nicely. Early

:53:32. > :53:51.days. Tyrrell Hatton played well in the

:53:52. > :53:55.Scottish open. Continued his good work. Shawn Stefani. There is a

:53:56. > :54:15.singer with a name like that. The last group going out at 3:55

:54:16. > :54:26.p.m.. When you see the numbers, you put yourself under pressure to get

:54:27. > :54:34.summarily birdies. -- get some early birdies. Enjoying a pretty good

:54:35. > :54:41.season, Thomas Bjorn. Another from the white trouser brigade. Easy.

:54:42. > :55:23.Well done, Thomas. Stands is a little bit awkward. On a

:55:24. > :55:28.downslope. It will come out a bit lower than he would like. I think he

:55:29. > :55:45.has got a 5-wood, so the trajectory should not be a problem. If he is

:55:46. > :56:01.not gripping, and aiming there, this will be a low-cut. He went for the

:56:02. > :56:21.big cut. Overdid it, nearly fantastic. That shot is a lot easier

:56:22. > :56:23.if you can get a flat lie. This is an awkward one. Just get the line

:56:24. > :56:43.right. Pretty good from there. Rory McIlroy staying left. Neatly

:56:44. > :57:20.done. This is always a good hole to make

:57:21. > :57:36.par. He has done it. He played pretty well last time. 254 Henrik

:57:37. > :57:41.Stenson. -- 250, four Henrik Stenson.

:57:42. > :57:58.Monster putt from here. Look at that. Deserved better.

:57:59. > :58:13.Him and his caddy had a fantastic partnership. Amazing season. The

:58:14. > :58:20.longer player and caddy relationship must be Phil Mickelson. I don't

:58:21. > :58:27.think anybody will beat that. There have been some great ones. Tom

:58:28. > :58:30.Watson had a few when he came to this country but not totally

:58:31. > :58:44.full-time. I think Phil Mickelson will hold the record. Tom has had a

:58:45. > :58:50.few untidy holes. He had four birdies. Nearly available for a bus

:58:51. > :59:16.pass, 64. Just gathering himself. He is

:59:17. > :59:22.clearly adopting the strategy of trying to take fairway bunkers out

:59:23. > :59:33.of play. Taking his time to settle himself. He is quite meticulous in

:59:34. > :59:44.his preparation. Little wind off the left.

:59:45. > :59:49.Arnold Palmer was one of the best drivers of the ball I ever saw but

:59:50. > :59:59.he would take it very low. I think he was frightened of a big, so he

:00:00. > :00:08.would keep the hands forward. -- big hook. Nicely done, Rory. Very neat

:00:09. > :00:53.looking card for Rory McIlroy. It is extraordinary how the sales of

:00:54. > :00:57.bottled water has gone up. When they started to make Island Spring at

:00:58. > :01:07.Gleneagles there and they thought who will buy bottled water?

:01:08. > :01:22.Oh, hello! That could be on Wallasey. Oh, crash, bang, wall lop.

:01:23. > :01:27.Near Nearly on the first green. Steady!

:01:28. > :01:40.I have seen a few wild ones in my time, but that is pretty good! Has

:01:41. > :01:51.he found it? I think he has. Well, very fortunate. If he finds a

:01:52. > :02:01.lie at this par-5. Should get no worse than a five. Sue Greaves has

:02:02. > :02:08.said can we spare a thought for the volunteer score board people. They

:02:09. > :02:09.are now not needed as we have electronic score boards. That is

:02:10. > :02:25.progress, I suppose, Sue. Give us some news on Rory's shot. He

:02:26. > :02:29.has missed the green considerably right. I am not sure if he caught

:02:30. > :02:37.the right-hand side of the bunker. It is one of the poorest shots he's

:02:38. > :03:06.hit out here today. This is arguably the easiest of the par-3s.

:03:07. > :03:15.Quite a small putting surface. If you hit the middle of the green you

:03:16. > :03:21.never have more than a 15 footer. Most courses, other than St Andrew

:03:22. > :03:37.if you're in the middle, you're not one million miles away. Furyk? No.

:03:38. > :03:46.Oh, Jim, Jim, Jim! Jim Furyk is 4-under. Tom Watson

:03:47. > :03:54.1-over. Darren Clarke, 1-over.

:03:55. > :03:59.Oh, that is genius! Absolute genous! Look at that. Carried on to the edge

:04:00. > :04:05.of the green. A bit of class there. A touch of class!

:04:06. > :04:13.I saw him play the first. An iron off the tee. Let's look at this

:04:14. > :04:22.again. A shallow angle of attack.

:04:23. > :04:26.Level with the ground so, the ball comes out squarer. Got to be good to

:04:27. > :04:42.do. That Tom Watson at the last. Ryder Cup captain for the US.

:04:43. > :04:45.Invited his team up to the glorious hotel, not last week, the week

:04:46. > :04:51.before. Only a couple turned up. Perhaps they thought they had to pay

:04:52. > :04:57.their own way. If it was on the house, I would have come.

:04:58. > :05:03.Where does he stand Tom Watson, in the all-time greats for you? Top

:05:04. > :05:10.ten. How far do you want to go back? Well, forever! Top ten.

:05:11. > :05:17.You can't compare 100 years ago. A bit of a late starter, he took some

:05:18. > :05:25.time to get going. Here is Clarke. What's left of Clarke. Holes his

:05:26. > :05:31.putt on the last. APPLAUSE

:05:32. > :05:38.72. Now, we'll have to get rid of those

:05:39. > :05:42.grey whiskers and get some cherry blossom on those whiskers and you'll

:05:43. > :06:03.look about 32 again! 73 blows for the legend who's Tom

:06:04. > :06:11.Watson. 37th appearance in the Open

:06:12. > :06:14.Championship. Not too bad. Furyk just finishing off. A splendid round

:06:15. > :06:29.from Furyk. 72-par. 68.

:06:30. > :06:36.Always surprises me when they take their hats off and they have white

:06:37. > :06:44.foreheads. Always beaware of a man who says I will play you for ?20 and

:06:45. > :06:48.has a white forehead! A couple of bunkers Tiger has to miss. One to

:06:49. > :06:59.the right, one to the left. 280 off the tee. Caught him a glancing blow.

:07:00. > :07:05.Only a flesh wound. I think he's all right. That's not good, missing that

:07:06. > :07:09.with a 20. Of there's something slightly amiss.

:07:10. > :07:14.Yes, he's certainly not... Fortunately this bounced before it

:07:15. > :07:18.gave him a kiss on the cheek. That might have hit him on the nose. That

:07:19. > :07:25.might have been a little nasty. Didn't seem to worry him. Flesh

:07:26. > :07:38.wound - hit by Tiger. I'm a lawyer, no win, no fee!

:07:39. > :07:49.Such tight lies here. Rory is second to the 15th #35r-3.

:07:50. > :07:56.Does -- par-3. Doesn't he chip nicely? Doesn't that green look

:07:57. > :08:01.magnificent? It looks almost artificial it Esso beautiful. --

:08:02. > :08:05.it's so beautiful. It is a plant, to make a plant like that, it is

:08:06. > :08:11.amazing. It looks like it's blowing a

:08:12. > :08:23.hurricane. That might be a picture from yesterday, I think.

:08:24. > :08:30.Only two at 5-under at the moment. And there is still a load of players

:08:31. > :08:37.to go out. The last ones go out just before 4pm. It will be about ninish

:08:38. > :08:49.when they finish tonight. Walks off with a three. He's had

:08:50. > :09:13.some good tee shots. Sergio. Up at the last. Over the

:09:14. > :09:21.corner of the out of bounds vem -- -.

:09:22. > :09:27.Not a bad little line in for a neat little pitch.

:09:28. > :09:32.Luke Donald. Shoulders pointing left, feet pointing right. It is

:09:33. > :09:46.always a little concerning. A slider with the breeze.

:09:47. > :09:57.This will test his pitching ability. One thing the tour players do, they

:09:58. > :10:00.inspected the rough. He knows the rough down the right gives you a

:10:01. > :10:07.sporting chance of reaching the green and a better angle into the

:10:08. > :10:10.17th. The angle on the left is much more Tigerish.

:10:11. > :10:17.It's difficult, when they say, oh, he played it on the better side,

:10:18. > :10:20.well, how do you know you'll hit a bad shot? You try and hit it

:10:21. > :10:26.straight, I would have thought. It is the luck of the draw whether you

:10:27. > :10:35.go right or left. Too much is woven into the game. That's not a bad lie

:10:36. > :10:42.though. That is a decent lie. There's a nest of bunkers down the

:10:43. > :10:49.left from 293 to 298 yards to be avoided. He does hit it hard! He's

:10:50. > :10:53.not a big man. He's solid. That seemed a magnificent drive. Where it

:10:54. > :11:04.is? Oh, look, it is still going. Right in the middle of the middle.

:11:05. > :11:15.Still a long way back. John Edwards is fine. Just a little glancing blow

:11:16. > :11:22.when he made contact with his face and Tiger's ball. John Edwards. John

:11:23. > :11:27.Edwards. Oh, send the winner some flowers.

:11:28. > :11:36.He gave that a bit of a dig. He's urging it on. Look at this! Look at

:11:37. > :11:41.this! There's a fair old shot. Bits of the old Tiger emerging,

:11:42. > :11:46.Kenneth! He's grafting out around it. That was a quality shot from a

:11:47. > :12:01.long way back. These pictures going around the

:12:02. > :12:15.world. Amazing interest this creates. We've had an e-mail in from

:12:16. > :12:23.Dublin. Lingdale, they have the big telly

:12:24. > :12:42.in, watching the golf. Hoping you are enjoying it all.

:12:43. > :12:44.I have to say there's been a right good turnout this morning.

:12:45. > :12:53.Garcia, with a 40-yard pitch. Left himself a good angle for this flag.

:12:54. > :13:30.Cabrera, miles in the're. S -- the air.

:13:31. > :13:36.He set out so full of hopes four hours ago, but it's not his day...

:13:37. > :13:42.So far. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

:13:43. > :13:47.Just watch how he plays this. The green running away from him.

:13:48. > :14:28.Quite fast, with a bit of zip on it. I have just seen an advanced copy of

:14:29. > :14:36.the most magnificent book for you folks who like to collect things

:14:37. > :14:42.about golf - Golf's Royal Clubs. He's produced this book, which is

:14:43. > :14:48.available at the end of the month. You've got to order it. It is

:14:49. > :14:54.probably one of the most magnificent golf books I have seen. Golf's Royal

:14:55. > :14:56.Clubs. A history of royal clubs and who named them. A wonderful

:14:57. > :15:03.collection. 1st green and Rickie Fowler.

:15:04. > :15:25.Oh! Not three of the biggest men in the

:15:26. > :15:28.world of golf, these three. Ricky is probably the smallest. Hit it a long

:15:29. > :15:43.way. So many golf competitions and events

:15:44. > :15:46.around the world - all organised, the pleasure of the game. Many

:15:47. > :16:08.growing. Garcia for a birdie. It wasn't a very good pitch. A nice

:16:09. > :16:14.round of golf. 68. APPLAUSE

:16:15. > :16:18.Just a little disappointed. A neat, tidy round. Some quality shots. You

:16:19. > :16:24.would not mind three more of them, would you? The 36th at the tenth.

:16:25. > :16:43.Apart from that, very good going indeed.

:16:44. > :16:49.Careful! Oh, that is how you hurt yourself! That looked like the bull

:16:50. > :17:24.rushes! Come on, Luke! Nicely done. A nice

:17:25. > :17:31.finish for Luke Donald. A round of 73. A couple of birdies.

:17:32. > :17:42.And three bogeys. His fifth shot, Henrik Stenson, a

:17:43. > :18:11.run up the tee and played it nicely. We have seen Sergio Garcia join that

:18:12. > :18:16.group at 4-under par. He's with that 4-under par of 68. Rory McIlroy we

:18:17. > :18:19.have seen at the 16th. And Matteo Mannassero has been setting the

:18:20. > :18:25.heather on fire today. Seven birdies in told. This was the last of them,

:18:26. > :18:37.at the 18th. A mixed bag. Two bogeys in there as well. It all added up to

:18:38. > :18:44.67. A 5-under par round and he won at the youngest, at 16 years of age.

:18:45. > :18:47.Now the youngest as a pro. How does he tliek?

:18:48. > :18:53.How -- does he like that? I am very delighted. It has been a

:18:54. > :18:59.wonderful morning, weather wise. With my game like that, it's a great

:19:00. > :19:06.start of this Open Championship. I was really happy. I played solid. In

:19:07. > :19:09.quite easy conditions, like this, this weather, you have to play solid

:19:10. > :19:14.to make your birdies. There are chances out there. You have to play

:19:15. > :19:20.really solid. Make a few putts. That's what I did. A nice round of

:19:21. > :19:24.golf. Especially over the past four holes you played fantastically well.

:19:25. > :19:30.Four birdies in those last four to give yourself a strong finish. 15,

:19:31. > :19:37.it is a tricky hole. It is a birdie par-3. The it is tough. It is not

:19:38. > :19:42.easy to put it close. It leaves you to, this golf course leaves you two

:19:43. > :19:47.chances at the ends with two par-fives.

:19:48. > :19:54.I actually, I made two quite big putts to the birdies there. It's the

:19:55. > :20:01.perfect finish again of a really nice day. Have you seen the

:20:02. > :20:10.leaderboard? What is going on? I mean, we're playing good golf. I am

:20:11. > :20:17.so happy to see so many ITA there in front of the leaderboard, at the top

:20:18. > :20:22.of the leaderboard. You know, we practiced together yesterday. We are

:20:23. > :20:25.all in quite good form. Obviously to put three rounds like that together,

:20:26. > :20:28.it's not easy, especially in this kind of golf course. It's great for

:20:29. > :20:33.Italian golf. Thrilling stuff for you. Of thanks.

:20:34. > :20:46.Well played indeed. Rory at the 16th. This is a par-5. Can he have a

:20:47. > :20:52.good last three holes? Holding that finish, he's just pulled it a

:20:53. > :20:58.little, has he? In the bunker. Maybe a little bit more power needed, or

:20:59. > :21:04.maybe a touch more club. Heful is surprised that it's short. It tailed

:21:05. > :21:07.off into the -- he is surprised that it is short. It tailed off into the

:21:08. > :21:09.sand. Tiger, he hasn't has he? I thought

:21:10. > :21:29.he had! Been a ruthlessly professional

:21:30. > :21:36.performance from Tiger this morning, after a slow start.

:21:37. > :21:47.Jordan Spieth... Front-right pin position. From the line, six yards

:21:48. > :21:52.to land on him. That tilts away a section. Interesting how he kicks

:21:53. > :21:57.out his right leg on the follow-through. That seems to work

:21:58. > :22:15.nicely. Try that at the weekend when you... Sling your leg over.

:22:16. > :22:23.Come on, nudge it in! Well done! A double bogey. 2-over

:22:24. > :22:34.par. Cabrera for a par.

:22:35. > :22:40.Oh, dear, dear, dear! Well, I am sure many people have had

:22:41. > :22:47.a bet on him for this championship. He's got a lot of work to do, even

:22:48. > :23:02.here for the weekend. It is standing room only, isn't it?

:23:03. > :23:08.I think the nice thing is the R and A still sell tickets at the gate. It

:23:09. > :23:16.is not a closed shop yet. Tiger, after that near miss... Finishes

:23:17. > :23:20.off. He's done very well. Almost sounds condescending to say

:23:21. > :23:22.he's done well, but so many people had written him off before he'd

:23:23. > :23:35.started. A half decent lie. Plenty of green

:23:36. > :23:41.to land this on. Wasn't that difficult and he made it look even

:23:42. > :23:45.easier. A fantastic shot. He's got a lovely short game. This great power.

:23:46. > :23:50.He really has. They talk about his putting sometimes being a little bit

:23:51. > :23:55.suspect, but his chipping a bunker play - they are usually delightful.

:23:56. > :24:04.Way back, up against the gardens, behind the trees there.

:24:05. > :24:09.In front of them is Tiger Woods. Out with a 3-wood for Tiger Woods on

:24:10. > :24:14.the last hole. Where's this going? This is the

:24:15. > :24:18.member's 16th hole. It's been altered because of the Grandstand

:24:19. > :24:20.and they now start at the 17th and 18th.

:24:21. > :24:28.And the members first is the third. Should have gone before you started.

:24:29. > :24:50.He did on the 18th. Got to get the ball running.

:24:51. > :25:00.Got it rolling nicely. Beautiful! Beautiful! Putting stroke

:25:01. > :25:05.rather like Paul Lawrie there. A beautiful putt. Hello! Mounted

:25:06. > :25:11.police. They looked interested in the golf,

:25:12. > :25:37.didn't they. Even the horses. Well done!

:25:38. > :25:42.Well, it has been a cracking morning and there's more to come. Are we

:25:43. > :25:49.going to be double-dipping? McIlroy just finishing off.

:25:50. > :25:54.Well, very nice from McIlroy. He played a really good bunker shot.

:25:55. > :25:58.There was a ruffle of sand behind him, so it was a good up and down,

:25:59. > :26:02.but aggressive off the tee yet again.

:26:03. > :26:08.Leader by one. Of Rory played well, it makes scores

:26:09. > :26:11.so easy. It is a delight to watch as well. Recently he has started off

:26:12. > :26:16.well and then do an awful second round and then come firing back when

:26:17. > :26:22.he's too far behind. Stenson just takes six and he's, he needs a four

:26:23. > :26:28.at the last hit, to sort Ofstedy the ship a bit. Other -- to sort of

:26:29. > :26:40.Steady the ship a bit. No bounce, no run on that one!

:26:41. > :26:46.A perfect position. Look at the legs. Throws the club head... Just

:26:47. > :26:51.touches the ground. Seems to be the... I don't know, perhaps he used

:26:52. > :27:01.the 3-wood off the tee. I think he did.

:27:02. > :27:06.My puter tells me it -- my computer tells me it is a five.

:27:07. > :27:13.Oh, better. How to cut your score. Rory, has he got an iron out there?

:27:14. > :27:19.He's put a 2-iron in his bag. A few percentage plays. This is an

:27:20. > :27:25.interesting tee shot. He's had a very interesting mixture

:27:26. > :27:29.of clubs. Aggressive and conservative play. So far he seems

:27:30. > :27:40.to have made all the right decisions. The key is to find the

:27:41. > :27:46.fairway. He's pulled it. That really was, that is way... Could be lucky!

:27:47. > :27:55.Could be lucky on the pathed. Now, he's having one of those days - the

:27:56. > :27:59.Gods are with him. Ken has been out and about looking

:28:00. > :28:01.at the rough. I don't think he legislated for this. Ken was less

:28:02. > :28:12.fortunate. The 17th is one of the most

:28:13. > :28:16.demanding on the golf course. There are two key bunkers this one on the

:28:17. > :28:20.left and this on the right. During practise rounds players look at

:28:21. > :28:25.other things. You look to see which side has shorter rough. Down the

:28:26. > :28:36.left side here of the 17th there is pretdty thick tanningly stuff. There

:28:37. > :28:41.are -- of pretty thick tangly stuff. The fairway is generous. It is a

:28:42. > :28:47.straight tee shot. Difficult to see your angles off the tee. The wind is

:28:48. > :28:51.whistling off of you. Let's see what it is like on the right side here.

:28:52. > :28:56.Not so bad. You can see there is half a chance. One or two bits of

:28:57. > :29:00.tangly bits but it is in better shape. You get a ball here, not too

:29:01. > :29:06.bad at all. And you would have half a chance. Off this tee if you miss

:29:07. > :29:11.it, the right side is better. This is quite tame. In fact, sometimes

:29:12. > :29:16.you are lucky enough in rough to find something like that! It is evil

:29:17. > :29:19.for a player, but actually quite nice.

:29:20. > :29:31.You old romantic. Hold the cameras, please. Come on,

:29:32. > :29:47.guys! Dangers out of bounds to the right.

:29:48. > :29:53.Very much so. The flags whistling across. It might be light material.

:29:54. > :29:57.It must be silky flags. It looks like it is blowing 30 miles per

:29:58. > :30:02.hour, 30 foot in the air. Perhaps it is.

:30:03. > :30:13.The flag is to the right of that square box at the far end. The ESPN

:30:14. > :30:26.studio. Guys! They are clicking as he's hitting.

:30:27. > :30:32.I think he knew that was going to happen. He stopped prematurery just

:30:33. > :30:41.to make sure... Those innocent boys up there. Good Lord! No! Look down

:30:42. > :30:46.below, everyone is aiming. This is a pretty high-risk shot he's

:30:47. > :31:00.playing here. I thought so. He's into this arena, where the wind will

:31:01. > :31:08.Could be in the bunker. He will be pleased if it does.

:31:09. > :31:13.Unless he's tucked up in the corner, that will be a relatively simple

:31:14. > :31:17.bunker shot. That is the out of bounds. It is the members' practise

:31:18. > :31:24.ground. Joe, who used to caddie for Fred

:31:25. > :31:42.Couples for many years. The wind is not helping. If anyone

:31:43. > :32:26.can reach, I think this fella can. That wind has puffed up in the last

:32:27. > :32:40.half an hour or so. Both of those were majestic hits.

:32:41. > :33:11.The easier third shot. Hasn't managed to take a Major

:33:12. > :33:17.championship. The biggest surprise was Arnold Palmers. He was about 36.

:33:18. > :33:29.He never won another one. Most extraordinary.

:33:30. > :33:34.working hard to create a senior event. A charming golf course, a

:33:35. > :33:53.charming golf course 120 golfers playing there. Look at

:33:54. > :34:02.that, what a grandstand. I don't think any other course could

:34:03. > :34:06.accommodate this poor shoe. -- horse shoe. There are 8-10,000 at least.

:34:07. > :34:34.Very warm applause for Tiger Woods. haven't heard whether it is still

:34:35. > :34:44.run by the schoolboys and schoolgirls. -- the big, classic.

:34:45. > :34:52.They have done a brilliant job over the years. Tiger was looking down in

:34:53. > :35:09.that bunker, perhaps it wasn't as pleasant as we thought. We will have

:35:10. > :35:16.two see his lie. Who stays in -- Oosthuizen, do not rule him out.

:35:17. > :35:33.When he is in full flow, a joy to watch. To get a 70. This looks like

:35:34. > :35:38.a break for Rory. He has had a couple of breaks, just looking over

:35:39. > :35:45.people's heads to see Jordan Spieth going with a 3-iron. Right-to-left

:35:46. > :35:54.crosswind, hard to get close to the flag.

:35:55. > :36:18.As the wind freshens? -- how has the wind freshens? It is a crosswind,

:36:19. > :36:31.definitely. Perfect lie. Perfect balance again. I'm lucky. One hop,

:36:32. > :36:43.would have come into the middle of the green. -- that is unlucky.

:36:44. > :37:02.Stenson's third shot, that is not bad.

:37:03. > :37:08.The maintenance standards at a golf course, just incredible, that green

:37:09. > :37:14.looks move, the right colour, the right texture. When you think it is

:37:15. > :37:33.a growing thing, you have to look after it, love it, nurture it. About

:37:34. > :37:55.60 acres of grass altogether here. Cabrera, 5-over. Go on. Getting

:37:56. > :38:04.closer. Lovely putt. 76. APPLAUSE. Went out with so much hope in the

:38:05. > :38:12.United States. Now it is a battle to qualify for the final 36. Tiger,

:38:13. > :38:23.this isn't easy, Ken? Absolutely horrid. As to be careful he does not

:38:24. > :38:40.catch the bank on the way down. -- he has two be careful.

:38:41. > :38:52.Give him ten goes, you may have got it half as near. Very awkward spot.

:38:53. > :38:55.Not really deserved. Got exactly the same thing on the first. The ball

:38:56. > :39:17.tucked up on the bank. The opening gambit of Martin

:39:18. > :39:26.Kaymer, the recent winner of the US Open, the German. A long iron out

:39:27. > :39:40.the first. A lot of people have picked him. Possible winner.

:39:41. > :39:49.Tiger has been unfortunate with a couple of his lies in the bunker.

:39:50. > :39:55.Once he got going in the middle, impressive. I am sure he is pleased

:39:56. > :39:59.with the way he improved during the round, you could almost see his

:40:00. > :40:07.confidence growing. He wants to finish with a birdie. He has two

:40:08. > :40:12.putts for a 69. After the shaky start, he will not be too

:40:13. > :40:46.disappointed if the only two putts from here. Steady.

:40:47. > :41:02.I have seen a couple of putts, suggesting they should hang right to

:41:03. > :41:05.left. Not much in it for Stenson. He has been missing a lot of

:41:06. > :41:14.opportunities on the greens today. This for even par.

:41:15. > :41:41.72, steady. Amazing how often caddies get in the

:41:42. > :41:50.way of the cameras. That will show us everything, in she goes. 60 94

:41:51. > :42:17.Tiger. Pretty good. -- 69, four Tiger. -- 69, for Tiger. That is a

:42:18. > :42:26.75. A poor start for Cabrera. He lives to fight another day, chasing

:42:27. > :42:39.the golf course tomorrow. Interesting to see what Tiger had to

:42:40. > :42:45.say after his round. What do you think his attitude will be?

:42:46. > :42:53.Should've done this? Considering all things, should be pleased to get

:42:54. > :42:56.under 69, making a few mistakes. I was fine interesting how they

:42:57. > :43:11.appraise what they have done. Interesting to hear what he had to

:43:12. > :43:17.save -- had to say. They always seem to say, a bit awkward, not played

:43:18. > :43:23.much golf, just find them hard to understand sometimes. They see it

:43:24. > :43:32.very differently to us. He will have enjoyed that. I think he should say,

:43:33. > :43:39.despite making a shaky start, came in with a 69, had some good breaks,

:43:40. > :43:51.some unfortunate bounces, that I am happy. Walking across the 3rd hole

:43:52. > :44:00.to be rather grand clubhouse. He must have been nervous walking onto

:44:01. > :44:05.the first tee will stop the swing was as sound as ever. I love the way

:44:06. > :44:25.he catches the ball, like in a picture's glove. Look at that. --

:44:26. > :44:30.pitcher's glove. That is the situation, Rory

:44:31. > :44:35.McIlroy, playing the 17th at the moment, one shot ahead. He has had a

:44:36. > :44:44.couple of good breaks today, a couple of bounces. Hearing him away

:44:45. > :44:54.from the bushes. Here is Rory. Just under clubbing at the 17th. Not bad.

:44:55. > :45:17.One of those 5-6 footers left. Looking through the heat haze. All

:45:18. > :45:24.sorts of local warnings, going to be very hot over the next 24 hours.

:45:25. > :45:33.Here is Matsuyama. Another one going in, yes, it does.

:45:34. > :46:08.Well done, beautifully sunk. Leading the Championship by one. The par

:46:09. > :46:14.five coming up. We will just check on the leaderboard, halfway through

:46:15. > :46:22.the opening day. McIlroy with one hole to play. Manassero, the

:46:23. > :46:33.youngster from Italy. Three Italians on the leaderboard at the top. Let's

:46:34. > :46:40.hear from Ernie Els. We know about your great record in the Open, third

:46:41. > :46:46.at Hoylake in 2006, good memories to draw on? Yes, obviously. I liked the

:46:47. > :46:56.course, playing it quite a few times in practice. A little different than

:46:57. > :47:01.it was back in 2006, the holes similar, a bit greener, a bit

:47:02. > :47:07.softer. Hopefully the wind will stay away, maybe a scoring day. Will that

:47:08. > :47:11.be the key to turning your season into something good? It has been a

:47:12. > :47:15.very quiet season, very disappointing. More than half way

:47:16. > :47:22.through. I need to get something going. This is my favourite form of

:47:23. > :47:30.golf, links golf. I played it back in the 1980s, I have had quite a few

:47:31. > :47:37.rounds around this place! We wish you all the best.

:47:38. > :47:44.There is a picture in the clubhouse of Ernie

:47:45. > :47:54.There is a picture in the clubhouse the Tillman Trophy back in 1988.

:47:55. > :47:58.There is a picture in the clubhouse McIlroy at the last hole. Deciding

:47:59. > :47:59.to blast it over the bunker. That rough is not much to write home

:48:00. > :48:33.about. That is OK. Now Matsuyama. Long, slow... Never

:48:34. > :48:41.changes, that rhythm. Must have learnt it from a very early age.

:48:42. > :48:54.Mind you, only 22! Spieth, the third of the group. This hole, with the

:48:55. > :49:01.prevailing wind, straight downwind. Able to use the driver today. The

:49:02. > :49:10.fairways are bouncing, sort of predictable. Close to play. The

:49:11. > :49:16.course could not look better if you wanted to play a round of golf. For

:49:17. > :49:25.an Open, we would like it a bit more fiery. The sun is out, likely to be

:49:26. > :49:41.hot tomorrow. Windies forecast tomorrow. -- the wind is forecast.

:49:42. > :49:47.All the big names pretty much at the top, exactly what you want. They are

:49:48. > :49:58.all up there, some great groups going off. 15 minutes till Phil

:49:59. > :50:02.Mickelson, Ernie Els, Tom Watson. Jason Day, Lee Westwood, Keegan

:50:03. > :50:20.Bradley. All coming up. Plenty can happen this afternoon.

:50:21. > :50:32.I always worry about eavesdropping on the players. They know the

:50:33. > :50:46.microphone is there. They are just chatting about Muirfield. That is

:50:47. > :51:05.all fine. Good family stuff. Always has a bounce in his stride, McIlroy,

:51:06. > :51:17.when he's going well. Back to another major champion, Louis

:51:18. > :51:37.A first look at Zach Johnson. The 38-year-old. Played some pretty

:51:38. > :51:43.solid stuff this year, winning earlier in the season. If the wind

:51:44. > :51:49.gets up, just the sort of player who could move through the field. With

:51:50. > :52:00.his punchy action. Notoriously a good wind player. He has had that

:52:01. > :52:16.putter for some years, or a succession of similar ones.

:52:17. > :52:34.There is the first green. Back down the road, the 18th. There is the big

:52:35. > :52:45.elbow, out of bounds. Over on the left-hand side, in the bright blue,

:52:46. > :52:50.Rory McIlroy. This was completely intentional, to smack it over the

:52:51. > :52:56.bankers. A lot of the players were inspecting this left-hand rough

:52:57. > :53:02.yesterday, the grass is lying with the players, fairly light. Keeps you

:53:03. > :53:09.a wonderful view around and up the elbow, straight up to the green. On

:53:10. > :53:14.this occasion, Spieth and Matsuyama will see very little of the green,

:53:15. > :53:26.flirting their way around the corporate hospitality and the

:53:27. > :53:37.grandstands. They have the better lie in terms of bankers. McIlroy

:53:38. > :53:42.carried 303 yards. Gives you an idea of how far these guys get it.

:53:43. > :53:56.McIlroy certainly one of the longest. Indeed, He's in deep

:53:57. > :54:07.conversation with JP Fitzgerald. A good amateur player himself. Favour

:54:08. > :54:16.to Schwartzel. -- we go over. A lovely way to finish. Three birdies

:54:17. > :54:32.to get him into the red. Turning his round around. A pretty inevitable

:54:33. > :54:39.delay, a lot of players going into the green, missing by varying

:54:40. > :54:45.amounts. The time to pitch up from 30-40 yards, all adding up. There

:54:46. > :55:01.are a couple of gaps put into the draw to allow for these things. That

:55:02. > :55:09.helps. Six to finish. That will take the edge off the taste of his lunch.

:55:10. > :55:17.A contrast with Schwartzel, finishing bogey, bogey. Padraig

:55:18. > :55:25.Harrington is the third member. Not a great round, not a great season

:55:26. > :55:40.for him. We wish Bob Torrance for the best, his former coach, and

:55:41. > :55:51.great friend. -- all the best. He is 3-over par.

:55:52. > :56:04.Very intense for a three footer, you have to try and ease of yourself

:56:05. > :56:16.when you are having a bad day, let it flow. He squeezes every ounce out

:56:17. > :56:25.of it, 74. The 2007, 2008 champion. What an amazing couple of years that

:56:26. > :56:35.was. Well, I am not sure that Rory fully expects to reach the green, he

:56:36. > :56:40.only has a 4-iron. He will try and squeeze this out, and get a run

:56:41. > :56:45.going. The wind is not helping, he knows that if the flash is this, he

:56:46. > :56:53.will get to the front edge. Always a chance of a bit of a flyer out of

:56:54. > :57:02.these brown bits of rough. Only takes a couple of stalks to get

:57:03. > :57:14.caught there to get a flyer. That has shot off left. It would have got

:57:15. > :57:25.there. It depends what part of the bunker he is in. We saw Tiger with

:57:26. > :57:31.an awkward stands. -- stance. Jimmy Walker, on 14, what a season he's

:57:32. > :57:46.having. He has been doing that all year. Some very natty trousers.

:57:47. > :57:55.Three times winner this year. His first US Open for 12 years. Is that

:57:56. > :58:13.a type of tartan? Possibly Walker tartan. Nicely done. That was Marc

:58:14. > :58:15.Warren, rolling one in. We go to Matsuyama over the out of bounds

:58:16. > :58:48.towards the 18th. Well... 231 to the pin, that looked

:58:49. > :59:02.like a 3-iron, a good 220 way up into the air, beautiful strike.

:59:03. > :59:10.You can see how close the hospitality pavilions are, a great

:59:11. > :59:19.view. If you hit it right off the tee, you are flirting with them as

:59:20. > :59:31.you come towards the green. Up and down for an 8-under, 64. 65, rather.

:59:32. > :59:35.It has been a wonderful round, he will be warmly received onto 18th

:59:36. > :00:24.green. The.

:00:25. > :00:27.winner. This would be the third leg of a grand slam. Not many players

:00:28. > :00:34.have won all four Majors. More importantly, a really solid start in

:00:35. > :00:41.this Championship today from McIlroy. He has made it look easy,

:00:42. > :00:56.driven it well, good irons. Chipped really well. 68 at Carnoustie, 69

:00:57. > :01:02.Turnberry, 63, 71, he does get off to quick starts at The Open. Not far

:01:03. > :01:11.away from the 18th green, the smaller stand, but still pressure on

:01:12. > :01:18.the first tee. And the defending champion is about to get his round

:01:19. > :01:26.underway. Couldn't do anything with it. Awkward stance. Those bunkers

:01:27. > :01:35.are sort of angle as those it is being played from a different

:01:36. > :01:40.direction. -- angled as though. Not too bad, he should be able to get

:01:41. > :01:46.the elevation from that lie. The ball on a slight upslope. They could

:01:47. > :01:51.actually rake the sand flat in these bunkers, which would make this sort

:01:52. > :02:10.of shot much harder. It is all very fair here at Hoylake. The exception

:02:11. > :02:20.to McIlroy's fast start at the open came last year. If you look at his

:02:21. > :02:26.second rounds, 76, 74, 80, 69, 75. He has struggled on Fridays. It is

:02:27. > :02:34.not a recent phenomenon on. Wonderful setting, from the 18th

:02:35. > :02:56.green across to the first tee. Ernie Els and Bubba Watson.

:02:57. > :03:06.Just about to get his title defence under way, let's hear from Phil

:03:07. > :03:11.Mickelson. It's going to be hard to give this up. Coming back to the

:03:12. > :03:16.Open Championship as a past champion, it feels so much better

:03:17. > :03:20.and much different than it did before when the questions were, are

:03:21. > :03:23.you going to get over the hump and play links golf effectively? Coming

:03:24. > :03:28.back as a past champion I have already accomplished the links golf

:03:29. > :03:35.challenge. But the memories and emotions that were created last year

:03:36. > :03:43.were so drunk, and I love reliving them. -- the memories and emotions

:03:44. > :03:47.were so strong. I would love to create more memories and emotions

:03:48. > :03:53.like last year. Back-to-back champions, Lee Trevino, Padre

:03:54. > :04:04.Carrington, it would be nice to join them? It would. I am getting ahead

:04:05. > :04:11.of myself, but it would be special. It was certainly a magnificent

:04:12. > :04:16.final-round 66 last year. This year he has not been great, to be honest.

:04:17. > :04:26.No top ten finishes in America this year. It will be very warm in that

:04:27. > :04:29.little semicircle. Especially tomorrow with temperatures are

:04:30. > :04:56.forecast to hit the 80s. That's Rory, lining up his 20 foot

:04:57. > :05:12.putt for birdie. This is for a 65. Not to be. But 66 will do very

:05:13. > :05:16.nicely. 66 for McIlroy, not a drop shot, three birdies on the front

:05:17. > :05:23.nine, three on the back nine. -- not a dropped shot. Now it's up to those

:05:24. > :05:45.this afternoon to try and chase him down. Not too far away, Mickelson is

:05:46. > :05:57.about to get underway. It's that sort of driving iron he has put in

:05:58. > :06:33.the bag for this week. On the tee, from South Africa, Ernie Els.

:06:34. > :07:22.Well, that was a loud bullet. An absolute rip snorting, there.

:07:23. > :07:30.Off goes the champion. Watson has a miserable record at the open. He has

:07:31. > :07:39.never had a top 20 finish. He does not move the ball around a great

:07:40. > :07:51.amount. So, Mickelson, Els and Bubba Watson, off and running. This is for

:07:52. > :08:15.a 74 Speith. No. -- this is for a 70 four Speith.

:08:16. > :08:20.There's a Northern Ireland and in the lead, there are two Englishmen

:08:21. > :08:22.down on the range, trying to bridge the gap to the last English winner,

:08:23. > :08:40.Sir Nick Faldo, 22 years ago. Due out at 2:27pm, and Lee

:08:41. > :08:49.Westwood, who had the 54 hole lead last year. He has been talking to

:08:50. > :08:53.us. We are here at the open once again, a lot of people billing you

:08:54. > :08:58.to do well, what sort of shape are you in? Feeling a lot better the

:08:59. > :09:03.last few days. Hoylake is a golf course that suits my game. I enjoy

:09:04. > :09:06.playing here. Hopefully the weather will stay calm as it has been all

:09:07. > :09:13.morning and we can make a while the sunshine. A lot of people talk about

:09:14. > :09:18.making hay while the sun shines, because they expect more difficult

:09:19. > :09:22.conditions, does that not put more pressure on today? The weather

:09:23. > :09:26.forecast looks average over the next few days and you don't want to be

:09:27. > :09:37.playing catch up. It would be nice to get off to a good start, if you

:09:38. > :09:45.underpar today. -- a few underpar. David Hearn, the Coenie -- the

:09:46. > :09:54.Canadian, a late replacement after Mark Calcavecchia decided not to

:09:55. > :10:03.travel. Enjoying the experience. Takes into 2-under par. -- takes him

:10:04. > :10:08.to 2-under par. Couple of par fives left, if he could birdie those, he

:10:09. > :10:13.could shoot 68 and be in great shape. With Lee Westwood and Justin

:10:14. > :10:20.Rose getting ready, the leading Englishmen at the moment is Ashley

:10:21. > :10:29.Chesters, the amateur from Sandy Lyle's old stomping ground. Yes, he

:10:30. > :10:35.did extremely well. But that is a disappointing English challenge.

:10:36. > :10:49.Marc Warren going well, 3-under par, with five holes to play. Mickelson

:10:50. > :10:56.at the 1st. Got a decent lie, we can see the all. It is just the control

:10:57. > :11:07.out of this stuff. -- we can see the ball. Certainly a pretty good shot.

:11:08. > :11:16.Huge, long green, this, with the pin right at the back, bringing the out

:11:17. > :11:23.of bounds into play. When it gets a bit windy it can be a really

:11:24. > :11:24.difficult hole. By and large he has been struggling mostly with his

:11:25. > :11:45.putting. Jimmy Walker on the 18th, this is

:11:46. > :11:56.his third shot. A three-time winner and a virtual certainty for the

:11:57. > :12:12.Ryder Cup come the end of September. Bernie is in the deep stuff -- Ernie

:12:13. > :12:16.is in the deep stuff. I thought that was going to turn over a little bit

:12:17. > :12:30.more. And now that's not a pleasant shot. STUDIO: Not the start Ernie

:12:31. > :12:34.Els had wanted. As we take a quick check on the leaderboard, a lot of

:12:35. > :12:38.coming and going. A lot of the big names finishing off, and a lot just

:12:39. > :12:43.starting. Rory McIlroy will go in for lunch at the head of the

:12:44. > :12:49.Championship. Looking down there is a whole host of players underpar.

:12:50. > :12:55.The only player to post top five finishes in both of the year 's

:12:56. > :12:59.Majors so far, Rickie Fowler, well at 3-under par. And so is Tiger

:13:00. > :13:06.Woods. A slow start in his third competitive round since his back

:13:07. > :13:11.operation. But an explosion of red numbers on the back nine. A round of

:13:12. > :13:19.69, 3-under par. Let's get his assessment. Well done on the 69, how

:13:20. > :13:24.pleased are you with the score after what was not the best possible

:13:25. > :13:28.start? It was a rough start, with bogeys on the first two right out of

:13:29. > :13:34.the gate. I stayed patient. It was one of those days where I felt

:13:35. > :13:39.somebody would probably shoot seven underpar today, and if I could get

:13:40. > :13:48.round underpar, after that start... So, I still had four par fives to

:13:49. > :13:53.play. Do you feel rusty, having not played much competitive golf over

:13:54. > :13:56.the last four months? Definitely. That's why congressional was so big,

:13:57. > :14:03.to go out and play and shake some stuff off. Get a feel for playing

:14:04. > :14:07.again. Been off for four months. Sometimes it can be a little bit

:14:08. > :14:14.tough. Combined with surgery, it can make things interesting. Even as a

:14:15. > :14:19.15 time major champion you need to play well to build your confidence

:14:20. > :14:24.again? Definitely. My rounds at home were good, I was excited by how well

:14:25. > :14:29.I was playing. I thought if I was going to do that at home, I could

:14:30. > :14:34.certainly do it out here. Playing, rational, I did not play a lot of

:14:35. > :14:37.golf before that, and the fact I was able to get stronger and faster and

:14:38. > :14:42.more explosive as the week went on felt good. Andy Murray has also had

:14:43. > :14:46.back surgery in the past you, he talks about how wonderful it is

:14:47. > :14:50.professionally and personally to fuel a different person and not be

:14:51. > :14:56.in pain, are you feeling the same sort of feelings? Yes. Right before

:14:57. > :15:02.I went in I could not move, I could not function. Everyday life, I just

:15:03. > :15:08.couldn't do it. But I didn't have any choice. I tried to play through

:15:09. > :15:16.it for a couple of events, it did not work out very well. My standard

:15:17. > :15:19.of living was just miserable. So the fact that afterwards I did not have

:15:20. > :15:25.any of those symptoms again, it had to feel nice not feeling that paying

:15:26. > :15:31.down my leg any more. Great to see you back. Ian Poulter, to finish

:15:32. > :15:57.with a four. Something. Something to cling to. In

:15:58. > :16:27.an otherwise really untidy round. The back nine certainly improved

:16:28. > :16:37.things. Jimmy Walker now, for a 68. Not that time. That will be a round

:16:38. > :16:45.of 69 for Jimmy Walker. I looked it up, it is the Walker tartan. Did you

:16:46. > :16:55.look it up in your pocket book of tartans? I keep it with me at all

:16:56. > :17:09.times. To Mickelson at the 1st. Long birdie attempt. We saw Dustin

:17:10. > :17:21.Johnson as the third member of that other group finish with 71. So no

:17:22. > :17:28.fireworks from Dustin either. I should know the Walker tartan, from

:17:29. > :17:36.shortbread tins. Is it anything like the Cotter tartan? There is no such

:17:37. > :17:40.thing. Any bells, you might have seen him going off to see if the guy

:17:41. > :17:48.on the left-hand side was OK -- Ernie Els. 2004 at the Masters,

:17:49. > :18:11.these two slugging it out. They are just reliving that now. To start

:18:12. > :18:26.with a birdie. Oh no. That was a bit of a misread. Benny Els is the odd

:18:27. > :18:34.one out. -- Ernie Els. I wonder if all the caddies will be on the other

:18:35. > :18:44.side of the tee. Oh. Oh no. Oh, come on now. Oh, Ernie Els. One two,

:18:45. > :18:48.three. That's a triple bogey, and one of the silliest you will see.

:18:49. > :18:54.One of the greatest players, greatest professionals in the game,

:18:55. > :19:13.done by the 1st hole. That was madness. So unlike Bernie. --

:19:14. > :19:19.Ernie. He is normally so deliberate. Not on the 1st hole of a major. That

:19:20. > :19:27.was very strange, very out of character. He will be hurting so

:19:28. > :19:37.much right now. He is in shock, probably. His caddy is in even

:19:38. > :19:43.bigger shock. Here it is again. That was careless. This was almost

:19:44. > :19:49.ridiculously careless. That first one he missed was from eight inches.

:19:50. > :19:55.The first one was just a bit slack, but to backhand the second 115

:19:56. > :19:58.inches was a moment of madness. He almost stopped and thought, am I

:19:59. > :20:07.going to backhand this? Yes I'm going to backhand this. Well.

:20:08. > :20:10.STUDIO: Tiger Woods just nearly finished his round about half an

:20:11. > :20:14.hour ago, and he is straight back out, having talked to Russell

:20:15. > :20:21.Fuller, he has gone back out to practice. Clearly feeling fit enough

:20:22. > :20:24.to do so. That is the work ethic of these professionals, and he should

:20:25. > :20:29.know, he is a 14 time major champion. We talked about Russell

:20:30. > :20:33.Fuller contacting our interviews, and he has been chatting away to

:20:34. > :20:39.Rory McIlroy, who has just posted his second lowest round in the The

:20:40. > :20:45.Open. You might remember his 63 at St Andrews, but he will settle a 66

:20:46. > :20:48.today, I am sure. Three birdies on the front nine, three birdies on the

:20:49. > :20:52.back nine, does that constitute the perfect round of golf? It's sort of

:20:53. > :20:58.does, yeah. Especially the first round of an Open Championship. I

:20:59. > :21:01.stuck to my game plan, tried to take advantage of the par fives, tried to

:21:02. > :21:06.pick up a couple more shots. I was able to do that. It's a couple of

:21:07. > :21:13.loose shots out there but for the most part my golf ball was under

:21:14. > :21:16.control. And yeah, very happy. Feeling the benefits of some fairly

:21:17. > :21:22.intense preparation including playing at the Scottish open last

:21:23. > :21:26.week? I am, yeah. Really glad I went up to Aberdeen and played four

:21:27. > :21:30.competitive rounds on the links. The conditions out there this morning

:21:31. > :21:35.are absolutely perfect for scoring. That's the reason you see so many

:21:36. > :21:40.guys underpar. But yes, it was great to get some competitive golf coming

:21:41. > :21:42.into this week. Tomorrow of course is Friday, which has become your

:21:43. > :21:49.least favourite day of the week. There is no reason why you shouldn't

:21:50. > :21:54.continue the form of today, is there? Not at all, playing well,

:21:55. > :22:00.swinging the club nicely. I feel like I held a few nice putts out

:22:01. > :22:04.there. I will continue to do that, and hopefully have a solid round

:22:05. > :22:10.tomorrow. Do you approach it differently? No, not at all.

:22:11. > :22:16.Depending on the weather forecast, I think there is more wind forecast.

:22:17. > :22:21.Go out, make 6-under par, try to get to seven, and then to eight, but

:22:22. > :22:30.just take it one shot at a time. We really enjoy watching you, thank

:22:31. > :22:42.you. A great round. Now Watson. He has a two iron in his bag, brings it

:22:43. > :22:53.out just for the Open Championship. What they 1st hole for Ernie Els,

:22:54. > :22:54.clocked someone off the tee, missed an eight inch, then backhanded one,

:22:55. > :23:22.and missed that as well. Well, that's in the crowd somewhere.

:23:23. > :23:25.Think he possibly would be taking driving here whatever, because he

:23:26. > :23:35.took driver at the 1st, maybe that was his plan. Here is Louis

:23:36. > :23:41.Oosthuizen on 18. I have a two iron in my bag ready for next week, the

:23:42. > :23:47.senior British Open down at Porthcawl in south Wales, case you

:23:48. > :23:53.didn't know. And if you don't know where South Wales is, don't bother

:23:54. > :23:58.going. I waited a respectful amount of time before asking you about the

:23:59. > :24:06.1975 amateur Championship here, what happened? Yes, I got spanked by

:24:07. > :24:14.Vinny Giles. Played well, just didn't have the artillery. Now Marc

:24:15. > :24:22.Warren. He led the qualifying at the gales links. To get into this event.

:24:23. > :24:31.You can see there, playing with John Singleton, a local hero. He is

:24:32. > :24:34.4-over par, not having a great day. Got his factory mates supporting him

:24:35. > :24:40.all the way round, they have been given the day off work. He's having

:24:41. > :24:46.a lot of fun. He was going well, level par after 11, just stumbled

:24:47. > :24:50.late. These players have finished their round, and they will be the

:24:51. > :24:58.low scores of the day, I am sure, because the wind has picked up a

:24:59. > :25:03.bit. The flags fluttering. For Sunday they are forecasting gusts of

:25:04. > :25:05.up to 35 mph. Ashley Chesters, leading amateur at the moment, from

:25:06. > :25:24.Hoxton Park. Very good 70. Marc Warren now. He will get his par

:25:25. > :25:34.on the shortish par-3 15th. Two par fives to come, so he's in good

:25:35. > :25:39.shape. PTU line -- Peter Uihlein, the third member of that group, key

:25:40. > :25:44.is having a miserable day. He led after the first round of the open

:25:45. > :25:51.last time it was here, in 2006, with a 66. Nothing of that today. 2-over

:25:52. > :25:58.par at the moment, Graeme McDowell. Horrible seven at the 10th. A very

:25:59. > :26:01.reachable par-5. The other thing about the wind, even though it is

:26:02. > :26:05.fairly gentle, it is a different direction to that which they will

:26:06. > :26:10.have experienced on practice days. That does not help. The scoring has

:26:11. > :26:16.definitely risen a bit, certainly over the front nine. Players finding

:26:17. > :26:22.it a little harder. Less than ten mph but it just makes a slight

:26:23. > :26:28.difference. Now Ernie. Here it is again. Careless. And that's

:26:29. > :26:46.unforgivable. Well he's got a very good man on the

:26:47. > :27:04.bag, nice caddy. He can stop the smoke escaping from the years. Bubba

:27:05. > :27:13.Watson first of all. -- from the ears. Let's head down to the first

:27:14. > :27:54.tee. On the tee from Australia, Adam Scott. The world number one, and for

:27:55. > :28:01.many, the favourite for this week. That's pretty good. A long way up.

:28:02. > :28:17.That will do just fine. US open champion, Justin Rose.

:28:18. > :28:28.I remember Justin on Tour missing his first 20 odd cuts as a pro. And

:28:29. > :28:32.after the last of those missed cuts, he was as raring to go as he was at

:28:33. > :28:37.the start, which is not easy to pull off. So all respect to him for what

:28:38. > :28:51.he has done with his carrier. Great success story. Playing safe with an

:28:52. > :29:01.iron. Got a terrible bounce. I think that's just semi-rough though. Not a

:29:02. > :29:05.great season so far for the duff. Missed the cut at both the Masters

:29:06. > :29:10.and the US open. Still capable when he gets going. Lovely rhythm to it,

:29:11. > :29:37.Little waggles, and smack it away. Certainly the last few years he has

:29:38. > :29:46.made golf macro look pretty simple. Some great groups to watch.

:29:47. > :29:56.Mickelson, Els and Bubba Watson, and this one with Justin Rose, Jason

:29:57. > :30:02.Dufner. His performance at Aberdeen will have given him a lot of heart.

:30:03. > :30:18.This is Mickelson, his second to the second. Oh, that's a fine shot.

:30:19. > :30:34.Kuch. Yes, finishes with a three. Gets it back to 1-over par. Already

:30:35. > :30:39.changed to a putting method of avoiding the anchoring rules coming

:30:40. > :30:50.in for the start of 2016, so he is ahead of the game.

:30:51. > :30:56.Yes, only six Majors before that ban comes into operation. Sergio

:30:57. > :31:03.Garc?a, we saw him finish, this was the highlight. Chipping in for

:31:04. > :31:12.birdie at the 11th. Having a really strong season. He has had three

:31:13. > :31:18.runners up in Open Championships. You looks like you are having real

:31:19. > :31:26.fun in the sun. Amazing day, beautiful to play. We don't seem to

:31:27. > :31:33.get a whole lot of those days at the Open. We have got a few. Nice to

:31:34. > :31:40.play on a beautiful day like today, playing pretty well. You have been

:31:41. > :31:45.in great form over the last few years, that there is something about

:31:46. > :31:55.this Championship. I have always loved this Championship. After the

:31:56. > :32:01.Ryder Cup, my favourite one to play. I like pretty much everything about

:32:02. > :32:07.it, the links course, the history. The crowds, how knowledgeable they

:32:08. > :32:10.are. How you have do think about your game, even on a calm day like

:32:11. > :32:24.today. Not you have to think about the shots, where to get it from. It

:32:25. > :32:28.is a lot of fun. When you play good as a venue like you did in 2006,

:32:29. > :32:34.does it make you feel confident? It does help a little bit. It was eight

:32:35. > :32:43.years ago, does not really mean that much. I was fortunate to play quite

:32:44. > :32:49.nicely that year. Like I said, I would hopefully love to play like I

:32:50. > :32:55.did today, giving myself a chance to get myself in a situation to be

:32:56. > :33:01.there at the weekend. It would be great. You are in great shape.

:33:02. > :33:11.Thanks to your time. His lowest opening-round since his 65 at

:33:12. > :33:16.Carnoustie. El -- Ernie Els, more pain. I think he should mark this

:33:17. > :34:16.one. He is in a bad place. He has been

:34:17. > :34:24.using the clause recently. -- claw. He has been switching between that

:34:25. > :34:29.and conventional. If he has a downhill one, he could switch. I do

:34:30. > :34:41.think he has got that bad yet. Give him time. Good start for Bubba,

:34:42. > :34:48.couple of pars. It was the US Open, he started with the claw, then

:34:49. > :34:57.switching to the conventional grip. They go down to the third tee.

:34:58. > :35:14.A big drive from Scott. Looking like a wedge. That is a beautiful shot to

:35:15. > :35:20.start with. 458 yards, he is off and running. If you are confident with

:35:21. > :35:27.your driving, and he is as good as it gets. Such an advantage to be

:35:28. > :35:32.playing up there. You are absolutely right. We have seen more guys

:35:33. > :35:40.prepared to do that sort of thing in Majors. If you play well, you can

:35:41. > :35:44.reduce the course to nothing. We saw McIlroy in the US Open, pulling the

:35:45. > :35:57.Corsie pieces. A good round for Thomas Bjorn, a round of 70. Did not

:35:58. > :36:04.see this club from Tiger. The basic swing is not too bad. The left leg

:36:05. > :36:08.is slipping. Dragging him off-the-ball. Needs to be a bit

:36:09. > :36:32.softer. Kaymer, his second to the fourth.

:36:33. > :36:35.Beautifully done. He gave such an engaging press conference a couple

:36:36. > :36:43.of days ago, looking forward to this, looking back to the US Open.

:36:44. > :36:55.He was asked to talk about it. Also talking about Germany's World Cup

:36:56. > :37:02.winner! A lovely view. As long as he didn't start talking about

:37:03. > :37:07.England's performance. Justin Rose. His tee shot was a lot further back,

:37:08. > :37:40.a harder second. That putt is good for par.

:37:41. > :38:15.The starting groups may have a quick fish and chips then off to bed. Now

:38:16. > :38:27.Jason Dufner. Those grips are getting fatter and longer. Looks

:38:28. > :38:40.about three lbs plastic on that one. He's not going to drop it, is he?

:38:41. > :38:49.Super slow motion pain. Adam Scott's birdie attempt, way off, for

:38:50. > :38:58.line and pace of we are having a long and stimulator and chat about

:38:59. > :39:11.the anchoring of putters. If you are not anchoring, that is fine. If

:39:12. > :39:26.you're for if your forearms are touching, that is angling. --

:39:27. > :39:31.anchoring. 2016 it comes in. David Rickman kindly comes to our studio

:39:32. > :39:35.and explains everything to us. Treating us with a lot of patience

:39:36. > :39:43.as we grow him on all the rules. It was fascinating, I did not realise,

:39:44. > :39:49.your forearms, anchoring below the elbow, with your forearms by your

:39:50. > :39:57.side, that is considered anchoring. Some people may do that with a

:39:58. > :40:04.conventional putter. The method Matt Kuchar uses is allowed because the

:40:05. > :40:14.forearm is swinging freely. All of it confiscated. Adam Scott holds its

:40:15. > :40:22.away from his body. -- complicated. Lee Westwood.

:40:23. > :40:38.So close last year. Leading by two into the final round. Blown away, as

:40:39. > :40:45.the rest were, by Mickelson. Playing alongside Keegan Bradley and

:40:46. > :41:06.Ishikawa. That is right at it. Wonderful shot.

:41:07. > :41:17.I think Bubba is liking these conditions.

:41:18. > :41:27.Let's see what Mickelson can do. Ernie Els has sent one a long way,

:41:28. > :42:19.if that is his tee shot. A little more body movement in his

:42:20. > :42:23.swing than last year. It was effortless last year, almost a three

:42:24. > :42:27.quarters finish, the ball zipping away as if you put no power in it.

:42:28. > :42:34.It is fractionally agricultural at the moment. Four rounds to go,

:42:35. > :42:49.hopefully, these players are good at finding things, thinking on their

:42:50. > :43:42.feet. Poor old Ernie triple bogey start, he has crashed one down here.

:43:43. > :43:49.I am not sure if the wind will help. That is OK, no more than that.

:43:50. > :44:06.Martin Kaymer, beautiful second into the fourth. Did not expect that. It

:44:07. > :44:36.was not even close. He remains 1-under. Let's see how close

:44:37. > :44:52.Westwood was to going in the sand. That is where Tiger was, and he has

:44:53. > :44:56.an impossible shot. Stephen Gallacher, he was going along nicely

:44:57. > :45:05.for a while, giving a couple of shots back over the last five holes

:45:06. > :45:06.though. Finishes nicely. Getting back to two under par. A round of

:45:07. > :45:30.70. That is a good start. Still a beautiful day, the wind is

:45:31. > :45:35.beginning to lift a little. As we expected. Another Scottish player,

:45:36. > :45:41.Marc Warren, he has had his problems on the par five. That is not done

:45:42. > :46:18.yet. A long birdie attempt for Mickelson.

:46:19. > :46:24.It is a very, very busy part of the course. Thousands of people around

:46:25. > :46:51.this hole. The tented village. Wonderful pace from Mickelson, 40

:46:52. > :47:02.feet or so. He will knock that in for par. We welcome that Ken Brown.

:47:03. > :47:10.-- welcome back. Thank you very much. Just like last year,

:47:11. > :47:24.Mickelson, in back-to-back weeks in the UK, hoping to defend what was

:47:25. > :47:36.and in fact it -- an emphatic win. Westwood in trouble. Very little

:47:37. > :47:46.green to land a forlorn. Without taking an immense risk, that is the

:47:47. > :47:54.best it could have done. -- to aim for. A fitted movement in the wind.

:47:55. > :48:04.Certainly as strong as it has been all day. Certainly is, Ken. A little

:48:05. > :48:15.more than it was this morning, virtually no breeze at all for is

:48:16. > :48:19.not -- at all. The last tee off time just past four o'clock. A wicked

:48:20. > :48:40.start for Ernie Els. The champion two years ago trying to

:48:41. > :48:50.settle it down, two US opens, two Claret Jugs. A beautiful day. He

:48:51. > :48:53.mentioned the players that played at Royal Aberdeen, I think that is a

:48:54. > :49:00.tremendous advantage to play a links tournament before coming here. I

:49:01. > :49:10.would not be surprised if someone who played them would win here. Yes,

:49:11. > :49:24.it is four in a row now. The greens, as good as they are, we have seen

:49:25. > :49:37.Ernie Els three putt, Bubba Watson missing. The Japanese have a good

:49:38. > :49:42.contingent this year, Matsuyama the best of the bunch. The stands are

:49:43. > :49:53.filling up as the day goes on. We will be playing until 8-9 o'clock?

:49:54. > :50:02.Plenty of light this time of year, a very late sunset by the history. --

:50:03. > :50:14.the estuary. It looks like those leafcutter ants from above. Some

:50:15. > :50:30.bankers are in play down the left-hand side. That is very

:50:31. > :50:39.aggressive, taking them all out of play on the right. He put a 2-iron

:50:40. > :50:49.in play for this week as well. He always thinks it through, taking a

:50:50. > :50:58.bit of the bounce off it. Last year it was that magical 3-wood, two of

:50:59. > :51:03.them into the 17th green. I guess you don't just have to come and

:51:04. > :51:14.watch the golf, they are waving again at you, Ken. Somebody has to

:51:15. > :51:25.do it. There is a little passing green there. -- putting green. Quite

:51:26. > :51:29.a compact layout, as a spectator, easy to get around the golf course.

:51:30. > :51:39.A few short cuts to see a favourite player. Superb, Lee Westwood. The

:51:40. > :51:51.first is a dangerous hole, four always a good result. Mickelson

:51:52. > :52:03.finding the fairway. This has been the normal approach, with the iron.

:52:04. > :52:12.You can see why, the fairway bunker down the right giving you no chance

:52:13. > :52:25.of finding the green at the head. -- up ahead. Because it is a short

:52:26. > :52:27.four, even if you lay it back, only a 9-iron. I'm surprised the players

:52:28. > :52:50.don't take on that right-hand bunker. Phil will have a little

:52:51. > :52:53.wedge from there. She, -- we talked about the Japanese players, he had a

:52:54. > :53:07.great few years, just stalling in the last couple. He plays an

:53:08. > :53:24.incredible amount of golf, 35 tournaments year, that does take it

:53:25. > :53:37.to. -- take it toll. Just bumped that one up the hill. As close as he

:53:38. > :53:45.could have got from their. -- there. The battler, Ernie Els, like

:53:46. > :53:50.a boxer being knocked down in the first round, you just have two clear

:53:51. > :53:55.your head. Tiger Woods starting with two birdies, still managing to get

:53:56. > :54:11.in with a 69. You have to remind yourself, four par five to come, and

:54:12. > :54:32.he can reach all of them. -- fives. Adam Scott, his short game has

:54:33. > :54:45.improved over the last three years. On the par-5/9. Brendan Todd.

:54:46. > :55:03.-- par-5, ninth. Excuse me, the par-3. Brendan Todd, not a shot

:55:04. > :55:10.dropped today. I doubt anyone will catch Rory at the top. Let's see if

:55:11. > :55:27.Ernie can get a shot back. We can see the flag fluttering. Stay there.

:55:28. > :55:56.That is not too bad. If you go past the flag, you are passing up the

:55:57. > :56:02.hill. -- putting. That gives you a great view of the tee shots.

:56:03. > :56:18.Everything is slipping away from the flag. A bit of a false run. From

:56:19. > :56:30.close distance. Just a wedge. Carrying some good form from Royal

:56:31. > :56:35.Aberdeen. That is the beauty of links golf, and this course in

:56:36. > :56:48.particular, a lot of strategy. You can take a risk, reaping reward, or

:56:49. > :56:59.have strokes frittered away. The number one player in the world. Two

:57:00. > :57:14.pars to start, the third hole playing down breeze.

:57:15. > :57:20.Obviously this hole plays a lot easier with the trading breeze. Turn

:57:21. > :57:28.the breeze around the other way, all of a sudden, it plays closer to

:57:29. > :57:36.480-490, and the out of bounds comes into play down the right. It is

:57:37. > :57:44.adorned with all the corporate tents. Justin Rose only three, 250

:57:45. > :57:47.yards to the corner of the dogleg, with the breeze helping. He has a

:57:48. > :58:05.middle iron. It is a flat fairway, very rarely

:58:06. > :58:19.getting a bad bounce stuff that is safe. -- bad bounce. That is safe.

:58:20. > :58:35.Jason Dufner, the last in this group.

:58:36. > :58:45.That is a nice flight for the links golf, penetrating, not popping up

:58:46. > :58:55.too much. He works, time and time again on the range. It is another

:58:56. > :59:09.laser show. That is Martin Kaymer, a wayward shot. In and amongst those

:59:10. > :59:12.people. Hoylake starting with four straight par fours. Hopefully he can

:59:13. > :59:35.get this one near the green. He must have been in the bushes, he

:59:36. > :00:13.had a drop. We will try and confirm that is his

:00:14. > :00:31.fourth shot. Surprised it did not kick forward, on a tremendous line.

:00:32. > :00:45.Very staccato putting stroke of Bubba Watson's. Up the French, up

:00:46. > :00:50.the hill all the way, quite slow. -- up the fringe. Yes, yes. It's

:00:51. > :01:00.amazing, isn't it? He misses from close range off the green, perhaps

:01:01. > :01:04.looking in a bit of trouble. Reverse the scores, probably feel better.

:01:05. > :01:25.Nick alone. Straight in. Tentatively nudges that

:01:26. > :01:33.one in. David Hearn, sorry. Of course Nick is a lefty. Speaking of

:01:34. > :01:45.lefty, the second shot of Mickelson. Moved very quickly. So, Mickelson

:01:46. > :02:18.stays at even. Now Lee Westwood. Middle of the green always favourite

:02:19. > :02:31.here. Lovely shot from Lee Westwood. Very tricky to get the -- get at the

:02:32. > :02:41.pin. He has had a sniff, finishing in the top 33 times in the last five

:02:42. > :02:47.British opens. -- finishing in the top three, three times. Three

:02:48. > :02:53.excellent tee shots. Scott first to go. Out of bounds does creep in a

:02:54. > :03:01.little on the right, but should not be a problem. Second shot being

:03:02. > :03:23.played down brings. -- played down breeze. Perfect posture and setup.

:03:24. > :03:42.Not taking any risks. Into the heart of the green. Two of the best

:03:43. > :04:07.swimmers in the game. -- swingers in the game. Both great models.

:04:08. > :04:19.Sweet iron shot off links turf. Oh, it's wonderful, isn't it? The

:04:20. > :04:27.tightness of the turf, the ball sits on it nicely, and the resistance of

:04:28. > :04:50.the sandy subsoil, it's a delight. There's nothing like it. You can see

:04:51. > :04:56.he is trying to move it in from left to right. Just stays there.

:04:57. > :05:00.Hopefully his golf is a little brighter than the tired today. --

:05:01. > :05:17.than the attire today. I've got to say, I have known that

:05:18. > :05:19.man for nearly 30 years, and what happened on the first, and that, I

:05:20. > :05:33.have never seen. Nice par-4 Marc Warren. 17th hole,

:05:34. > :05:36.par-5 to come, remains at 1-under par. Scores a little bit harder to

:05:37. > :05:48.come by as the day has gone by. But a terrific ground for Rory

:05:49. > :05:54.McIlroy this morning, 6-under par. -- terrific round delightfully

:05:55. > :06:02.played. Made it look very easy. Good morning for the Italians. The

:06:03. > :06:17.Molinaro brothers both round in 68. -- Molinari. Slow start for Tiger,

:06:18. > :06:19.69 blows for him, 3-under par, and a very well executed round by Rickie

:06:20. > :06:26.Fowler, and looked to be enjoying it out there. Matsui armour also round

:06:27. > :06:54.in 69 -- Matsu -- Matsui -- Matsu plenty of scores under-par. But this

:06:55. > :06:58.afternoon the wind, I say it is freshening, it is sort of a one club

:06:59. > :07:04.wind from next to nothing. Scoring will be a little trickier. 46

:07:05. > :07:11.players currently under-par. Zach Johnson, you have to say he has a

:07:12. > :07:15.chance round here. Especially if it was to stay like this. It is warm

:07:16. > :07:28.enough. Forecast for tomorrow as well, to get into the 80s. As we go

:07:29. > :07:40.to Lee Westwood. He's got to putts through a little bit of a hollow --

:07:41. > :07:50.he's got to putt through a little bit of a hollow.

:07:51. > :07:55.Every department of your game is tested in links golf. Lag putting, a

:07:56. > :08:06.great exhibition of that, right there.

:08:07. > :08:18.All the golfing departments and mental fortitude, you have got to

:08:19. > :08:23.have. Staying on a house right on the edge of the golf course, so not

:08:24. > :08:30.far to come to work. That's the back of Jason Day. This is to get to even

:08:31. > :08:42.par. At the par-5 5th. He taps in for four. STUDIO: When I see the

:08:43. > :08:46.oldest man in the field, Tom Watson, just a few weeks shy of his

:08:47. > :08:52.65th birthday, this is the highlight of his round, a birdie at the 15th.

:08:53. > :08:56.He has been given an exemption to play at St Andrews next year which

:08:57. > :09:01.will be the 40th anniversary of his first victory on his debut in 1975.

:09:02. > :09:07.Isn't it great to see him? Let's hear from Tom. How do you reflect on

:09:08. > :09:11.the opening round of 73 on an Open Championship course which you know

:09:12. > :09:15.less well than many of the others? Well this course was for the taking

:09:16. > :09:19.today, without question. The wind was not blowing. There were some

:09:20. > :09:28.tough flag positions, many of them on the front. You had to be

:09:29. > :09:32.careful. All in all the courses there for the taking today. But

:09:33. > :09:36.tomorrow with the weather forecast it may be different. Next year may

:09:37. > :09:42.be your last Open Championship, is that on your mind this year? Are you

:09:43. > :09:45.trying to save every hole? Know I was not trying to think about that,

:09:46. > :09:50.I was just trying to keep the ball on the fairway. I only hit six

:09:51. > :09:55.greens in regulation today, so it was a monumental struggle to shoot

:09:56. > :10:00.1-over par today. It was actually a good round from that standpoint.

:10:01. > :10:07.Usually I played pretty well off the tee, but today it was not there.

:10:08. > :10:11.What about with a windy forecast? I better start driving the ball

:10:12. > :10:19.better. If it gets windy and I keep driving it this way, I will be way

:10:20. > :10:25.off line. We wish you well. Adam Scott, here at the 3rd. And Tom

:10:26. > :10:42.Watson played here back in 2006, tied 48. Trying to make four rounds

:10:43. > :10:47.again this year. Adam Scott so close, the last two years. Just let

:10:48. > :10:51.out of his hands over the last four holes. Of course last year as well

:10:52. > :11:02.he had the lead with a few holes to go. Now Graham DeLaet, the Canadian.

:11:03. > :11:05.When it comes to tee to green, especially if the breeze does get

:11:06. > :11:08.up, you could very well be a dark horse. Doesn't hit the ball overly

:11:09. > :11:40.high. Bubba Watson at the par-5. Mickelson not nearly as long as

:11:41. > :11:59.Bubba Watson. Always interesting to watch his strategy. Not always what

:12:00. > :12:02.we expect. Par-5. Dogleg to the left, three bunkers down the right.

:12:03. > :12:24.Going to be very close to one of them. Looks like a jackpot to me.

:12:25. > :12:56.Last player in the group after seven, five, four, five start for

:12:57. > :13:01.Els. 5-over par. Once you start missing short putts, this is such a

:13:02. > :13:07.difficult game to concentrate on, it mentally destroys you. Almost seems

:13:08. > :13:21.like he's a beaten man already. He will keep fighting. So, tee shot of

:13:22. > :13:27.Adam Scott. He has been here, played practice rounds since last Thursday.

:13:28. > :13:56.Sneaks it past the bunker on the right. 240 yards to reach the right

:13:57. > :14:00.track. -- right trap. Two tee shots, ideally placed. I wonder if we can

:14:01. > :14:36.do it three times. You could nearly put a blanket over

:14:37. > :14:38.those. It's amazing to lay up and all three of them bring the

:14:39. > :14:56.right-hand bunker into play. Look at that, it went right in the

:14:57. > :15:01.centre of the Cup. When it hits right in the centre, you see it

:15:02. > :15:07.reappear. That was terrific. Never an easy one to read.

:15:08. > :15:20.reappear. That was terrific. Never Martin Kaymer made seven. At the

:15:21. > :15:22.previous hole, the par-5. Those are the sorts of shots we saw at

:15:23. > :15:43.Pinehurst. Fifth green. Interesting here, one par-5 on the

:15:44. > :15:55.front side, three on the second side. Yes, an interesting balance.

:15:56. > :16:00.You can almost save your score with a couple of birdies at 16 and 18.

:16:01. > :16:07.Zach Johnson with the simplest of birdies. Terrific second shot in

:16:08. > :16:09.there. Been playing most of his golf this year on the PGA Tour. One or

:16:10. > :16:15.two tournaments in Europe. this year on the PGA Tour. One or

:16:16. > :16:17.card at the start of the year. After he finished second at Durell, it

:16:18. > :16:24.really changed his scheduling for the year. So, Ernie Els hit a driver

:16:25. > :16:35.off the par-5, and that ball looks like it's settling down, so just

:16:36. > :16:42.trying to advance this. That's a lesson for people at home, just

:16:43. > :16:48.trying to cut the distance in half. Just bumble it down 120,, 130 yards,

:16:49. > :16:54.leave a wedge. Maybe something good can happen. This should be the third

:16:55. > :17:12.shot for Mickelson. You can see where he is aiming, to

:17:13. > :17:19.the left of the green, trying to work it in from left to right.

:17:20. > :17:26.Little spin of the club, I think he quite likes it. Come on. That's a

:17:27. > :17:37.terrific shot to wriggle the ball in past that deep front bunker. So he

:17:38. > :17:41.will have that for a birdie. Plenty of offset on that part, you also has

:17:42. > :17:56.quite a lot of loft on it as well. Only a driver. Fill it a 3-wood,

:17:57. > :18:08.Bubba hit iron, and he is last ago. -- Phil hit a 3-wood, Bubba hit and

:18:09. > :18:10.iron, and he is last to go. Flirts with that bunker, but it is going to

:18:11. > :18:20.get better. Saw the excellent tee shot of Martin

:18:21. > :18:55.Kaymer at the par-3. Nice lie, plenty of loft. Second to

:18:56. > :19:02.the fourth. He really did get some grip on that. Green is still fairly

:19:03. > :19:07.kind, I would say, yielding. There is a soft bounce. We saw another

:19:08. > :19:15.ball on the green, that would have been Justin Rose. Of course he was

:19:16. > :19:32.longest off this tee. Normally an excellent wedge player, Duff -- Duff

:19:33. > :19:39.-- Dufner. Nicely done, little downhill shot from there, but chance

:19:40. > :19:44.of a birdie. Interesting stripy flags. Not sure I have seen the

:19:45. > :19:49.black and white stripes quite as close together as that. There is no

:19:50. > :19:52.standard flag, is there? I was asking that the other day, I did not

:19:53. > :19:58.know if these were shorter than normal. That was the answer I got,

:19:59. > :20:04.there is no really standard height. On the PGA Tour they are normally

:20:05. > :20:12.seven feet. I guess as long as they stand out, you can see them. You can

:20:13. > :20:28.see the people just flooding through.

:20:29. > :20:41.One birdie, one double bogey, all the rest pars for Martin Kaymer, on

:20:42. > :20:45.plus one. We will go to the homeward hole, Marc Warren had a chance to

:20:46. > :20:51.win going into Sunday last week. Beaten to the post by Justin Rose.

:20:52. > :21:14.Nicely done. We go back to the par-5 5th. We see

:21:15. > :21:24.how close Bubba Watson was to that bunker. The deep one protecting the

:21:25. > :21:34.front right of the screen. Ernie Els directly over the flag, just off the

:21:35. > :21:36.back edge. Of course you see this illustrious group, 11 Majors, five

:21:37. > :21:43.of those belonging to Phil Mickelson, four to Ernie Els, and

:21:44. > :21:52.Bubba Watson is a two-time Masters champion. Prolific. 126 wins. Ernie

:21:53. > :22:02.Els has been around a long while, terrific international player. Plays

:22:03. > :22:12.a lot of golf, still. Down the hill, up the other side, hurry, hurry,

:22:13. > :22:18.hurry. I don't know how he has kept a smile on his face. I think I would

:22:19. > :22:22.have thrown all the toys out by now. Going with the short putter, he sort

:22:23. > :22:30.of fiddle between the regular pot and they barely Potter. -- he sort

:22:31. > :22:38.of fiddle between the regular putter and the belly putter. If you are

:22:39. > :22:42.going to have a bad round, better to have it at the start, at least you

:22:43. > :22:47.have got some recovery time. If it happens at the end, curtains. One of

:22:48. > :22:55.the great stories of the week, John Singleton. Works in the factory.

:22:56. > :23:07.Qualified. Oh, that would have been a birdie at the closing hole. His

:23:08. > :23:23.wife persuaded him to qualify. 36, 42.

:23:24. > :23:40.Aiming a long way to the right, and it is uphill as well, mighty big

:23:41. > :23:47.swing on this. Can he read it? He was saying in his press conference

:23:48. > :23:54.he slowly developed his game, but until he found the answer on the

:23:55. > :24:01.greens, he thought he would not do it, but he did last year. There is

:24:02. > :24:06.very little bounce because of the firmness of the ground around. Bubba

:24:07. > :24:20.Watson just cleaning up here, for four. Should get into 2-under par.

:24:21. > :24:25.-- should get him to. Bubba has certainly got the artillery for this

:24:26. > :24:30.golf course. He could almost rival all of the par-4 holes, if he gets

:24:31. > :24:36.the driver out. The par fives all in range. The tee shot he hit off the

:24:37. > :24:43.13th at Augusta on the final day was just extraordinary. It was massive.

:24:44. > :25:01.Now Justin Rose, to get into the red. Do you realise he has not had a

:25:02. > :25:27.top ten in the Open Championship as a professional. It is hard to

:25:28. > :25:41.imagine. Hard to believe. Very classy professional, Justin Rose.

:25:42. > :25:53.Now Marc Warren. He actually had it 2-under par with five holes to go.

:25:54. > :26:03.He sneaks in with a round of 71. Good way to dress shake off that

:26:04. > :26:06.final round at Aberdeen. Played alongside John Singleton, giving a

:26:07. > :26:18.little extra weight to the crowd. He loved this experience. It has been a

:26:19. > :26:33.sun-kissed morning. Pretty bright afternoon. A few more clout in the

:26:34. > :26:37.air. -- a few more clouds. Now Sir Cardone. Young Japanese

:26:38. > :26:50.Birdies at 13 and 14. He did drop one at 15, but picked up another one

:26:51. > :27:09.there at 16. Forward to the par-3 9th. Finally we see a long one go

:27:10. > :27:22.down. You see, he gets booed in America, but not here. Outstanding

:27:23. > :27:33.striker of the ball, Boo Weekley. He is generally there or thereabouts.

:27:34. > :27:38.Harrington, who played earlier, doing a bit of work on the range.

:27:39. > :27:44.Sometimes does the old happy Gilmore, takes a few steps back.

:27:45. > :27:52.Looks like a little more serious. Anyway, back out on the action.

:27:53. > :27:58.Shapes the ball a long way. Big swings from left to right, and

:27:59. > :28:03.right-to-left, Bubba Watson. Which way does he see it this time? His

:28:04. > :28:21.stance is open, that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

:28:22. > :28:36.Started down the right with no cut on this one. It used to be a rarity,

:28:37. > :28:42.to see two left-handers in a group. You see them at the Masters nearly

:28:43. > :28:46.every year these days. Bob Charles used to say golf courses were built

:28:47. > :28:55.for right-handers. These guys can certainly defer -- can certainly

:28:56. > :29:07.defied that. Kept that swing slightly short of parallel. Very

:29:08. > :29:24.good shot. Just flighted a little bit slower to try to chase it up the

:29:25. > :29:25.green. -- a little bit lower. Playing 201 yards, pin-up a little

:29:26. > :29:47.tear in the green. side of your game. Can you battle

:29:48. > :29:50.back? Any score better than 70 forward be a beauty. There have only

:29:51. > :32:20.been 13 birdies here so far today. playing down breeze. It has a left

:32:21. > :32:45.turn to it. I love the way he gets through the

:32:46. > :32:58.ball. His arm is so much in sync with his upper body. Generally a

:32:59. > :33:24.very efficient action. Threaded between the bunkers and the course.

:33:25. > :33:55.He is showing off, O Fahy can hit it from his knees. -- how far he can

:33:56. > :34:17.hit it. This is from a long way right of the par-3.

:34:18. > :34:23.out a mighty long way. We have not seen one yet. People are coming down

:34:24. > :34:54.onto the sixth green. Phil Mickelson has struggled on the

:34:55. > :35:02.potting greens. Last week they were a little bit slower. A little bit

:35:03. > :35:20.like Rory in the sense that he would take those inside five feet.

:35:21. > :35:30.This should run out. It is coming down the slope.

:35:31. > :35:46.Just don't get the same grip coming out of the rough. The grass gets

:35:47. > :36:07.trapped between the club and the ball. Who is top of the money list?

:36:08. > :36:08.Although Watson is top of the money list. Could have won three

:36:09. > :36:52.tournament. -- Bubba Watson. Phil Mickelson. -- six pars. He has

:36:53. > :38:02.played a year in, year out. It has been a great day so far. The

:38:03. > :38:15.kids are having fun. Make sure you put the sun block on.

:38:16. > :38:25.Lee Westwood needed a little bit of help from his caddy. Uphill, he hit

:38:26. > :38:36.it with a bit of authority. I think it is the centenary at his

:38:37. > :38:56.golf club. Up ahead at the 5th. Saw the

:38:57. > :39:57.excellent shot of Adam Scott. This golf course is not too

:39:58. > :40:11.dissimilar to what we have seen before.

:40:12. > :40:22.This is the leaderboard, with all these players having completed their

:40:23. > :40:31.round. Wonderful opening round from Rory McIlroy. Matteo Manassero is

:40:32. > :40:36.his nearest rival. Tiger Woods, that, in the grand scheme of things,

:40:37. > :40:47.is a very good opener, bearing in mind how little he has played.

:40:48. > :41:04.Ashley Chesters, a wonderful round from him. Leading amateur at the

:41:05. > :41:07.moment. David Hearn, the late replacement from Canada. Taking his

:41:08. > :41:17.chance very nicely. Erik Compton, what heroic ski performed at the

:41:18. > :41:33.U.S. Open. -- what heroic feats he performed. David Howell settled for

:41:34. > :41:44.level par eventually. Shawn Stefani, also level. Justin Rose is level.

:41:45. > :41:51.Ian Poulter settled for 73 in the end, as did Luke Donald and Tom

:41:52. > :41:52.Watson. A wonderful round from the five times champion. Should have

:41:53. > :42:16.been six. Bubba Watson, this is an interesting

:42:17. > :42:18.strategy. It is not overly long. I have absolutely no idea what he is

:42:19. > :42:39.trying to do here. I mean, the whole bends to the

:42:40. > :42:49.right, there is a bunker on the left, he has just taken everything

:42:50. > :42:59.out of play. That is a long way, it is one of those that is so far away

:43:00. > :43:13.it is at Knowsley different course. -- a totally different. They'd put

:43:14. > :43:29.the new back tee in here. That is the way the mere mortal plays this.

:43:30. > :43:30.They really stretched it out. Justin Rose has a little bit of work to do

:43:31. > :44:07.here. There have already been three eagles

:44:08. > :44:17.at this one. Simple as that. It is all about preparation. He was one of

:44:18. > :44:25.the first to come here. Played five practice rounds. He came here last

:44:26. > :44:33.Thursday and played 18 holes every day except Thursday when he played

:44:34. > :44:39.30. When he was ask about playing the Scottish open he said, why would

:44:40. > :44:43.I play that when I can play this? That really was a big leap up the

:44:44. > :44:54.leaderboard into that group on 3-under. He had driven it down the

:44:55. > :45:07.left-hand side and could not reach the green in two. He miss read it

:45:08. > :45:33.like I did. -- read it wrong. Red numbers are the order of the

:45:34. > :45:40.day. Does not give much away in his facial expressions, Jason Dufner.

:45:41. > :45:42.Justin Rose. It has been a part of his game where he has not been his

:45:43. > :46:06.very best. Sorted that out of late. A little bit of knee knocking works

:46:07. > :46:36.its magic. A reminder of how it looks on this

:46:37. > :46:44.opening day of the Open Championship. The lead is held by

:46:45. > :46:51.Rory McIlroy, but 12 shots back is John Singleton. He is a factory

:46:52. > :46:56.worker, kept his PGA status, but works in a resin factory. This was

:46:57. > :47:04.the highlight of his day, Eardley at the 10th. Fabulous to be here but I

:47:05. > :47:12.guess you will be disappointed at how it worked out. Yes, I just kept

:47:13. > :47:17.going up and down constantly. That is obviously really good fun for me.

:47:18. > :47:26.On the back nine I did not swing great, but it would have taken a

:47:27. > :47:34.minor miracle to be able to compete over 18 holes. In the end I switched

:47:35. > :47:39.off from the score. Obviously, playing in the British Open at home,

:47:40. > :47:47.you've got to enjoy it. Still trying as hard as I could but you just soak

:47:48. > :47:53.up the atmosphere as well. Word you aware of all the supporters in the

:47:54. > :48:04.crowd? Did the guys turn up? I heard them all day, they were fantastic.

:48:05. > :48:09.Obviously on the first tee, that was probably the greatest thing in my

:48:10. > :48:16.life ever. To play it down the middle was just ten times better. I

:48:17. > :48:20.shot 6-over but it does not really mean anything to me. I will probably

:48:21. > :48:31.shoot under-par to moral cause I will be used to its -- tomorrow

:48:32. > :48:36.because I will be used to it. Are you back at work on Monday? I'm

:48:37. > :48:47.going to say I will not be. Probably not. I think the last two weeks has

:48:48. > :48:56.taken it out on me. I've obviously done lots of press staff, it does

:48:57. > :49:02.take it out of you. I will have a rest. His fiancee is going to give

:49:03. > :49:25.birth in five weeks as well. The breeze has picked up. When the

:49:26. > :50:03.breeze picks up it forces the hand of the players. This is probably the

:50:04. > :50:07.longer of the par-3 holes. Justin Rose mate have tweaked his club

:50:08. > :50:14.selection after seeing that. -- may have tweaked.

:50:15. > :50:32.Much higher shot. Definitely firmer this afternoon.

:50:33. > :50:42.If you're watching TV this morning you will see them dig in. It is one

:50:43. > :51:11.of those tournament is where they do that. -- tournaments.

:51:12. > :51:54.Adam Scott was crowned world number one the week before. Just made the

:51:55. > :51:56.cut, then played tremendous in the weekend, found himself in a play-off

:51:57. > :52:00.with Jason Dufner. weekend, found himself in a play-off

:52:01. > :52:02.like Jason Dufner did not really breakthrough until 2009, so success

:52:03. > :52:13.can come later in your life. There is no guarantee of it. I don't know

:52:14. > :52:19.how he got through it without making a cut. Here is Zach Johnson. We have

:52:20. > :52:26.seen that a few times over the years. Zach Johnson was another one,

:52:27. > :52:39.he forced his way through. He said those were some of the best

:52:40. > :52:58.days of his life after he won the Masters. Martin Kaymer with a

:52:59. > :54:05.horrible shot for seven. Lucky in some respects it jumped the

:54:06. > :54:21.bunker. Back at six. Gives you a few more options. Pitch the ball on the

:54:22. > :54:37.green with a lofted club. We will go to Bubba Watson. Long one on the

:54:38. > :54:39.seventh. It is good. Back to Scott. Did not do what he thought after all

:54:40. > :55:18.that planning. That was for par. The knees take a pounding after a

:55:19. > :55:24.while. Justin Rose on Sunday last week, had a number of good

:55:25. > :55:33.up-and-downs. Not too shabby, just sounded a

:55:34. > :55:45.little too clean. Just tried to stab it into the

:55:46. > :56:11.back. The one player that did hit the

:56:12. > :56:51.par-3, Jason Dufner. He is actually shy, he is a deep

:56:52. > :57:04.thinker, who does not articulated during the course of the day. --

:57:05. > :57:18.articulate it. Phil Mickelson with the long birdie attempt. No birdies

:57:19. > :57:46.on the card yet for him. This should swing the -- towards the

:57:47. > :58:40.back of the green. You can see the wind is livelier

:58:41. > :59:06.this afternoon. This is for a birdie. Nice up and down. That is a

:59:07. > :59:24.good start. Bubba Watson has four feet left for par. It will be nice

:59:25. > :59:42.to see the driver coming out. I remembered he was a southpaw.

:59:43. > :59:57.That might well be his undoing this week.

:59:58. > :00:46.I think today is going to get closer and closer. Zach Johnson.

:00:47. > :00:53.Good start for Zach Johnson. The only thing he's got to worry about

:00:54. > :00:57.is jet lag. only thing he's got to worry about

:00:58. > :00:57.is Fortunate the golf course is greener

:00:58. > :01:01.only thing he's got to worry about is Fortunate the this year, less to

:01:02. > :01:53.adjust to. The first one is just down over the

:01:54. > :02:11.280 yard mark. The second one is after 300.

:02:12. > :02:19.If you are adjoining ours and wondering how Ernie Els is getting

:02:20. > :02:24.on, he had a horror with the potter on the 1st hole. He cursed one of

:02:25. > :03:15.just a foot. He then had four more bogeys.

:03:16. > :03:32.He usually has the distance to keep up with Scott of the key and he

:03:33. > :04:24.finds a fairway. -- off the tee. The players have to take the driver

:04:25. > :04:31.occasionally, you have to test that part of the game. You'll have to hit

:04:32. > :04:36.a few drivers at least. When I saw the look of the golf course, on one

:04:37. > :04:44.hand it would be nicer to see a links. For us, you get to see all of

:04:45. > :04:50.the clubs. I think for the champion this year, the strategy will have to

:04:51. > :04:52.be different from 2006. There are a couple of par fives to attack using

:04:53. > :05:07.the same philosophy. I felt like I jumped out of the

:05:08. > :05:18.plane near! Rory McIlroy is the leader with 66. Tiger Woods in

:05:19. > :05:30.pursuit with an opening round of 69. Rickie Fowler is in the after an

:05:31. > :05:33.opening as well. -- opening 69. Justin Rose is another player out

:05:34. > :05:42.the, big names trying to get somewhere close to Rory McIlroy.

:05:43. > :05:46.That looks like the bearded figure of Scott Jamieson down near which

:05:47. > :05:50.would mean they are the last group. It is an odd feeling -- odd feeling

:05:51. > :05:57.being down near where people are clearing out the bends. On the other

:05:58. > :06:01.hand when you finish, you finish in the quiet. This is considered the

:06:02. > :06:41.hardest opening hole. This is the first Open Championship

:06:42. > :07:06.for Chris Rogers. Very good final round he had in

:07:07. > :07:13.Aberdeen and the Scottish open. He played a side Stephen Gallacher and

:07:14. > :07:44.they both think of each other. -- stead.

:07:45. > :07:51.Let us see the final chapter in this for the ball. The Korean and he came

:07:52. > :08:07.through qualifying in Sunnydale as well.

:08:08. > :08:13.There are some good swings coming through out the year. He was an

:08:14. > :08:18.amateur champion and he has just crushed that other of the tee. My

:08:19. > :08:19.fellow champion was the youngest and then they exceeded that the

:08:20. > :08:30.following year. You can see he was trying to fit it

:08:31. > :09:02.in. That is a big mess. -- big mess. Phil Mickleson played some very good

:09:03. > :09:15.par shorts last week. He is downwind so he has to get as

:09:16. > :09:38.much spin and hate is possible over the bunker. The grains are not as

:09:39. > :09:58.firm as they can be. They are just drying out. -- the Gibbons.

:09:59. > :10:06.It disappears for another eagle. What you can do on this golf course,

:10:07. > :10:53.part five at 16 and 18. You can certainly recover a round.

:10:54. > :11:05.Once again Steve Williams is reassuring and exactly where the

:11:06. > :11:12.wind is coming from. -- reassuring Adam Scott.

:11:13. > :11:21.Another yard or two and admitted being good. -- that might have been

:11:22. > :11:33.good. Watson has got something to play

:11:34. > :12:03.with. It is not a steep face. It is a different type of sand which

:12:04. > :12:12.they are used to on the PGA Tour, the links sand is soft and it

:12:13. > :12:21.gathers down near. -- gathers down there.

:12:22. > :12:32.Ernie Els surveying yet another long putt. He is trying to string some

:12:33. > :12:38.parts together. It is downwind. You need to hit a very soft and floating

:12:39. > :12:42.shot. It was coming down so quickly and you knew it would release. He

:12:43. > :12:58.was not striking it correctly at all. This is for a birdie. That is

:12:59. > :13:10.nice from distance. It is a reminder of the start for Ernie Els.

:13:11. > :14:15.That is only his third part of the day.

:14:16. > :15:04.The best scores came this morning. Rory McIlroy set the tone.

:15:05. > :15:17.He shakes it in. Mixed bag at the start. The scorecard very much in

:15:18. > :15:31.his favour at the moment. He wanted it to break but it was not

:15:32. > :15:54.there. You talk about that you talk about

:15:55. > :16:06.it being hard to win a major if you win a treatment before. Tiger Woods

:16:07. > :16:11.could've done it. It must take a lot out of you, winning the week before.

:16:12. > :16:13.You get the confidence that you are playing well but it must be

:16:14. > :16:27.fatiguing mentally. It certainly is. If you go back to

:16:28. > :16:35.2006 when Tiger Woods won it, he had a run of seven straight wins. But he

:16:36. > :16:38.is not the norm. Slight understatement. Mental fatigue is

:16:39. > :17:58.not his thing. It is a much better swing when it is

:17:59. > :18:02.parallel. That his right online. The first time when I was impressed with

:18:03. > :18:08.him at an Open Championship was in 2004. He played a controlled game

:18:09. > :18:12.and he kind of bad and that. That was a first team when he understand

:18:13. > :18:22.what it took to do it around a links course. -- that was the first time.

:18:23. > :18:56.HAZEL IRVINE: Jim Furyk has enjoyed his lunch. His distinctive link --

:18:57. > :19:04.distinctive swing at the 15th, this was one of five birdies in his the

:19:05. > :19:12.round of 68 he finished fourth here last year. Some that the former open

:19:13. > :19:24.champion -- US open champion is due a victory. 68, nice start. Good

:19:25. > :19:29.conditions for you. Conditions have been really good all week. The wind

:19:30. > :19:37.has not blown it. You look at the weather forecast tomorrow and it

:19:38. > :19:43.could be gusty, 15 to 25 mph wind. It was good to get out there in

:19:44. > :19:46.benign conditions. A lot of people like your chances because of your

:19:47. > :19:51.experience and away you have been playing over the last few weeks, do

:19:52. > :19:57.you feel optimistic? I have confidence in my game but I also

:19:58. > :20:04.took some time off America. My game good form before the break and right

:20:05. > :20:10.now, now, mentally, I am rested and my attitude is positive. I struck

:20:11. > :20:16.the ball beautifully today. I made some mistakes on the back name and I

:20:17. > :20:25.was able to shake those off. That is because of the rest. Mentally, I am

:20:26. > :20:29.in a good frame of mind. Does bring back good memories after that good

:20:30. > :20:35.finish in 2006? I think he finished fourth here. Tiger and Chris ran

:20:36. > :20:44.away with it and we were jockeying for position. I had a bad stretch at

:20:45. > :20:52.the open, missing some cuts. I like the fact that there's not a lot of

:20:53. > :20:57.blind shots. You have to try to control the golf ball here and keep

:20:58. > :21:03.it on the fairway. Thank you for joining us. HAZEL IRVINE: jetting

:21:04. > :21:09.time to be the fourth 40-something winner of the Open Championship in a

:21:10. > :21:50.row. He is only two shots off the pace.

:21:51. > :21:57.Thank you, he's all. Justin Rose trying to find the fairway and with

:21:58. > :22:20.a swing like that he should not miss too many.

:22:21. > :22:26.Phil Mickleson, and Darren Clarke, they were winners over the age of

:22:27. > :22:33.40. I noticed that the players have been asked not to bet on themselves

:22:34. > :22:49.this week. It is legal but they have been asked not to bet. One player

:22:50. > :23:09.bet $100 on himself at 70-1. You should always back your own ability.

:23:10. > :23:15.Very nice. He had a double the 1st and aborting a couple of

:23:16. > :23:38.holes later but he is clawing his way back. -- a bogey.

:23:39. > :23:51.The defending champion makes a little move. He has had 30 par fives

:23:52. > :23:52.on the homeward side. You want Phil Mickleson up there as well for the

:23:53. > :24:48.entertainment value. Outward nine of 34. That is 1-under.

:24:49. > :24:53.You would like to think that he can take advantage of the par fives. He

:24:54. > :25:09.is a genuine left-hander. Phil Mickleson is right-handed. Sergio

:25:10. > :25:12.Garcia by nature is left-handed. There is an argument backing during

:25:13. > :25:27.leading hand being your most dominant hand.

:25:28. > :25:51.Let us look at another post your at Royal Liverpool, the 10th hole. It

:25:52. > :25:55.is a par-5 and reachable in two. The feature of the theory is that it is

:25:56. > :26:03.very bumpy. You can get all sorts of bounces. You can get a hard bones.

:26:04. > :26:17.People can also trickle off of the Kuwait -- off the fairway. You need

:26:18. > :26:23.some decent control. You will also not have a flat light, the ball will

:26:24. > :26:26.be bothered below your feet. Difficult to control. When you drive

:26:27. > :26:30.down the stairway then you will need a decent bounds on you and all sorts

:26:31. > :26:36.of trouble. You will finish in the rough. All of those arrows make me

:26:37. > :26:49.quiver! It is definitely reachable but it is

:26:50. > :27:06.a bit of an S-bend par-5. That win that has got up, it is

:27:07. > :27:16.helping them a little bit here. -- that window.

:27:17. > :27:27.That has a good engine. Earlier, the players were taking drivers into the

:27:28. > :27:59.rough on the left. The rough is very thick.

:28:00. > :28:06.I hesitate to say but would you are short out of that play-off. I

:28:07. > :28:09.remember playing beside him on Sunday. You knew he was the start of

:28:10. > :28:14.the future. It was a sign of things to come, player is six foot four.

:28:15. > :28:39.Watson also fits into that category. That was a low one but it was not a

:28:40. > :28:47.good one. Some of it has been flattened down as well which makes

:28:48. > :28:51.it even more unpleasant. A little bit untidy, this clip, at pains. --

:28:52. > :29:09.this group. Big discrepancy in the score. It is

:29:10. > :29:17.no discrepancy in Adam Scott today, he is going along dutifully. Up and

:29:18. > :29:33.down from the bunker on the previous hole. That is what Tom Watson

:29:34. > :29:34.referred to in his interview. The wind is the biggest problem for the

:29:35. > :29:39.players out here at the moment. wind is the biggest problem for the

:29:40. > :29:42.players The Westwood after coming out of the sand on the 7th hole.

:29:43. > :30:27.This is not pleasant. international qualifying. Came

:30:28. > :30:29.through. Nice round of 70. Justin Rose is currently even. Birdie at

:30:30. > :30:36.five, bogey at six. Welcome to my world says Justin

:30:37. > :31:14.Rose. Scott could not have left himself an

:31:15. > :31:26.easier putt on the screen. Just a smidgen.

:31:27. > :31:53.Again, he was going along nicely, no dramas.

:31:54. > :32:18.Par for Jason Dufner. He remains part of this group on 1-under.

:32:19. > :32:23.Heading up to the large nine. They started putting these stands up in

:32:24. > :32:36.February, March. Putting the infrastructure in place. Angela

:32:37. > :32:48.Eagle part on the 10th hole. Yes. -- this is the eagle putt.

:32:49. > :32:59.We are watching Lee Westwood. Yes, indeed. Nice solid start. I've just

:33:00. > :33:08.been wondering about the course. There is a good, steady breeze. It

:33:09. > :33:24.is making the course slightly more testing.

:33:25. > :33:42.Justin Rose and his caddy are in the debate. -- deep debate.

:33:43. > :33:57.That is what we are talking about, a 17-year-old getting that shot from

:33:58. > :34:03.18 yards. In fact, it was 1998, the graphic was wrong, in case anybody

:34:04. > :34:13.is wondering where the last 16 years went.

:34:14. > :34:26.Such a big story at the time. He was 17, he was an amateur, holed out and

:34:27. > :34:37.finished fourth. That was his last top ten in an Open Championship. He

:34:38. > :34:41.was so young looking. One of his favourite photos of all time is him

:34:42. > :35:01.holding the medal with his father behind. Even he would have been

:35:02. > :35:32.amazed at how well Justin has done, turning into a fantastic golfer.

:35:33. > :35:39.Talking about Rose and Adam Scott, professionals

:35:40. > :35:50.like to talk about the angles. They are pasture -- the posture looks so

:35:51. > :35:58.good. Very straight back, it is right, almost feel you are sticking

:35:59. > :36:07.your bum out a fraction. The balance is ready and powerful. And another

:36:08. > :36:41.lovely shot. Good chances for a birdie. Quite strong, these par-3s.

:36:42. > :36:59.These players have a wonderful, brisk, presents about them --

:37:00. > :37:02.personality. Three nice shots. You can see the breeze is helping on the

:37:03. > :37:28.ninth. It is some of the softest turf, even

:37:29. > :37:34.when it is brown, it is a lovely consistency. Hoylake is not like

:37:35. > :38:10.that. This is his third shot. Should be

:38:11. > :38:53.straightforward. Obviously did not release the way he was expecting.

:38:54. > :39:04.Ernie Els has had a terrible time on this opening round. His highest

:39:05. > :39:14.score was 80, he is just inside that. Ernie Els hit a young child on

:39:15. > :39:19.the 1st hole and he seemed incredibly upset after that. I think

:39:20. > :39:24.that affected him, and since then he has not really been able to regroup.

:39:25. > :39:35.That's interesting, I did not realise it was a child, I thought it

:39:36. > :39:39.was a man. That would shake him up. Not that hitting fully grown men

:39:40. > :39:54.with golf clubs is acceptable either, but... Bubba Watson normally

:39:55. > :40:13.takes advantage of par-5s. Jason Dufner with this club. Good

:40:14. > :41:14.chance of a too. Nicely done, Jason. Phil Mickelson for birdie. Moves to

:41:15. > :41:20.1-under. As we move to this part of the course, we get some flatter

:41:21. > :41:43.greens, this is one of the flat spots on the screen. -- this green.

:41:44. > :42:09.Playing full of confidence, Justin Rose, 1-under. Adam Scott looks so

:42:10. > :42:23.confident with the club in his hand, he has single pot for the last few

:42:24. > :42:35.greens. My goodness, what a front nine holes. Very good. It feels like

:42:36. > :42:57.if you to the long club out and played like that it would be bound

:42:58. > :43:01.to go well. The two men who battled it out before, Adam Scott and Ernie

:43:02. > :43:06.Els, enjoying very different fortunes. Phil Mickelson on the

:43:07. > :43:36.11th, back into the wind. Just under 400 yards.

:43:37. > :43:47.2-under par, suddenly. His stroke looks good as well. Do you notice

:43:48. > :44:05.anything different? Well, it has a nice rhythm. Ernie Els on the 11th,

:44:06. > :44:11.into the breeze. It is 250 yards to the top of that rage. Ideally,

:44:12. > :44:29.players would like to go past that. -- Hill.

:44:30. > :44:45.193 for Lee Westwood. Looking to pitch this onto the green.

:44:46. > :44:57.That was so close. I thought it was going to come off the cushion. I

:44:58. > :45:10.don't think it is too bad there. It cannot be that steep a bank.

:45:11. > :45:18.Can you remember when it was the seventh? Vaguely. It was not a nice

:45:19. > :45:53.hole. The remarkable swing of Bubba

:45:54. > :46:11.Watson, but my goodness, he can play. The best part of his swing.

:46:12. > :46:18.Went away low. I cannot see if that is 3-wood or driver. I'm told it is

:46:19. > :46:27.3-wood, he left his driver in the house this morning and it only