The 144th Open Championship, sometimes known as the British Open, get underway at 6pm AEST this evening. Follow our live scores and updates from Day 1 of the third major of the season here.
Featuring 156 players, the tournament will see participants fight the strong winds, fast greens, deep bunkers and thick rough to be crowned a champion on Sunday.
While the game of cricket returns to its home at Lord’s, few hundred miles north the game of golf will also be back at its birth place at the historical, St Andrews Old course in Scotland.
Conditions and course
While it has been a dry summer up north of England, many players leading up to the tournament have mentioned the course is not running as much as expected.
Unusually, the ball can be stopped on the green, meaning some of the American golfers used to playing with high shots and plenty of spin could make their mark.
Given the last major was also played at a ‘Links’ style course at Chambers Bay, it is highly likely the top finishers at the US Open could feature once again at the British Open again.
One significant difference between the Chambers Bay and St Andrews will be the bunkers. While it was possible to hit a long shot out of the man-made bunkers in Chambers Bay, it is virtually impossible at St Andrews. This means if ball lands in the bunker it will prove extremely costly.
The reality is there are at two par 4s (Holes 9 and 12) that could be reachable from the tee, so if the conditions remain benign it will suit the big hitters as long as their accurate.
With enormous greens and fast fairways, imagination of putting strokes from even off the green will play a vital role. But as it often is the case, the wind will play a crucial role in determining the difficulty of the course.
The forecast is predicted to be cloudy with scattered showers.
Players to watch
It is difficult to go past Jordan Spieth form but be aware of the South African Louis Oosthuizen and the Englishman Justin Rose.
Phil Mickelson and Ricky Fowler have been fine tuning their respective games on Links course by playing at the Scottish Open, so the conditions will not be unfamiliar to them.
Adam Scott and Jason Day are also strong contenders but doubts remain if Day has fully recovered from his vertigo illness. But at this stage it is difficult to go past Spieth or Rose.
Join us for live score from Day 1 of the British Open from 6pm AEST.
gav
Guest
Greens are slower than yesterday with all the rain this morning. It is also lot more windy. The wind has also shifted so the front 9 will be harder today. THe scoring is not expected to be low as yesterday.
gav
Guest
After 3.5 hour delay Round 2 of the Open is well and truly underway. Zach Johnson has moved to -8 to take the lead. Mickelson has just teed off on the 1st and started with a par.
Maroon Blood
Guest
Good job Jason Day was in the same group as Tiger other wise we wouldn't have seen anything of him. Why was half (seemingly) the coverage devoted to a guy shooting 76? Hopefully that won't be the case tonight.
gav
Guest
Leader Board Dustin Johnson -7 Robert Streb -6 Retief Goosen -6 Paul Lawrie -6 Jason Day-6 Zac Johnson -6 (the only player still on the course) through 14 holes.
gav
Guest
Wind now causing havoc for the late starters. It will be really difficult to eclipse Dustin Johnson -7 for the playing field currently.
gav
Guest
In the afternoon tee off groups, Aussie Geoff Ogilvey is -4 after 9 holes. Mickelson and Justin Rose, have a couple of early birdies to be -2 after 5 holes. The ball is definitely started to run more on these spectacular fairways at St ANdrews. The breeze has picked up and most players now with jackets.
gav
Guest
Dustin Johnson taps in for par on the 18th to go into the clubhouse as the leader on -7. He made the most out of benign conditions at the start of the day. He was -5 after 9 holes and had a decent finish as the wind picked up. Jordan Spieth has finish round 1 at -5. He was -5 after 9, but then had a couple of bogeys on the back 9. Jason Day just on the 18th now, he is currently -6, he has missed a few birdie opportunities.
gav
Guest
Jason Day has birdies the 14th as does Tiger Woods. Day now -5 two shots of the leaders Johnson and Lawrie.
gav
Guest
Dustin Johnson has only missed one fairway and he is drives are averaging over 300. Making it look so easy at the moment.
gav
Guest
As the afternoon wears on, we are starting to see a few bogey's. Jason Day has had a bogey, Spieth has bogey on 13th but pars the 14th with a short quick downhill putt. Meanwhile Dustin Johnson has birdied the 14th to take him to -7. Johnson leads along with Paul Lawrie.
gav
Guest
Jason Day has moved to -5. The wind is started to pick up and the scoring on the back 9 is not that easy.
gav
Guest
Jason Day has also had a good start, he is -3. While Matt Jones, in the clubhouse at -4
gav
Guest
Tiger Woods got a great ovation on the 1st Tee but that was probably due to the fact the crowd knew he wont be playing on the weekend. Woods is +4 after 9 on a perfect morning for scoring.
gav
Guest
Welcome to the coverage of the British Open. It has been a morning for low scores. Not much wind, greens are stopping and the fairways don't have the expected run as per St ANdrews standard. Who else but Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson are leading from the front. The pair playing together are -5 after 9 holes. Making the most of this beautiful morning.