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Justin Rose going backwards at the moment as the difficult sixth hole gives him trouble.

Into the rough off the tee, staying in the rough with his second, and then ultimately getting up and down for a bogey five.

Playing partners Viktor Hovland and Russell Henley safely through for par.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

A long wait on the fourth tee for Rahm, Spieth and Fleetwood.

Plenty of time to think about club selection and direction of breeze.

Spieth still doesn’t seem quite sure when he sticks his tee into the ground. It works out all right…

Ben Croucher
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

The fifth hole at Royal Birkdale has been redesigned and provides the ultimate risk versus reward challenge.

Today, it's playing 321 yards with a dogleg right but as the crow flies, it's nearer to 300 so expect to see a majority of players go for the green.

It has an array of bunkers and hollows waiting to capture any errant shots but the up and down shouldn't be too tricky. It's a tight pin today so may up the difficulty a smidge.

It's already playing under par and is one all will be marking down as 'should birdie' or at least 'must-not-bogey.'

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Pars all around on the fourth green for Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton, who will now target the short 308-yard par-four fifth as a birdie opportunity.

James Gregg
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator at Royal Birkdale

The atmosphere has been sizzling. Parchment is the way I described the fairways. It is just burnt out. When it is bouncy and fiery, that is when we get into a real test. What could make it hellish for these golfers is if the wind gets up.

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Belgium's Thomas Detry signs for a three-under 67 on the 18th. That's a fairly decent clubhouse target and he can now go and stick his feet up as the temperature out on the course starts to climb.

BBC Radio 5 Live

You can listen to the live action from Royal Birkdale on BBC Radio 5 Live now.

Alistair Bruce-Ball is presenting and is alongside two-time Solheim Cup winning captain for Team Europe, Catriona Matthew and European Tour winners Oli Wilson, Graeme Storm and Andrew Murray.

A dropped shot for Dan Brown at the 13th stymmies some of his momentum.

He overshot the green with his second and pays the price by slipping out of the lead.

A second birdie in three holes for Robert MacIntyre helps him to three under as he plays a beautiful bunker shot to two feet to make a four on the par-five 14th.

It's 614 yards on the card but with the course as it is that length's no problem for most of the field this week.

Here's what Ken makes of Birkdale's bunkers.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images

Bryson DeChambeau will be doubly pleased about making a good start today having missed the cut at all three majors so far this year. It's just the second time in his major career he's kicked things off with two birdies.

The big-hitting American is trying to avoid becoming the first multiple major winner to miss the cut in all four majors in a single year since Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw both managed to do so in 1998.

At Portrush last year, DeChambeau opened with a chaotic round of 78 before playing the final three rounds in 16-under-par.

Jon Rahm strikes first in this stellar group as he rolls in a nice birdie putt from 15 feet away on the third as he dips under par for the first time today.

Tommy Fleetwood has an early test of nerves with something around eight feet to save his par - which he rolls in nice to keep his card clean. Important settler that one.

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Woah that's a touch of magic from Viktor Hovland as he swooshes an approach from 122 yards and lands it within two-and-a-half feet at the fifth.

It'll give him an excellent birdie and move him within one of the lead.

Sloppy from Russell Henley though as he immediately gifts back the shot he won on the previous hole.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

A golfing superstar is somewhere in the middle of that scrum, let me assure you.

Spieth shows a touch of magic to flick out of the Southport Sahara.

I ended up in a similar spot at the R&A media day here. Needless to say I did not walk off with a par.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler's missed cut at the Scottish Open last week was his first in 79 tournaments but when it comes to the majors, the world number one is nigh on unstoppable when in the mood.

He may not have won one since triumphing in dominant fashion at the Open last year but he is one of only four men to have won this championship along with the US PGA and Masters before the age of 30.

His combined score across the majors since 2020 is -124 - just the 48 shots better than anyone else.

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Scottie Scheffler's reaction to his first missed cut in four years has been impressive so far.

The world number one chips into eight feet on the third and then drains a putt that deviates slightly to the right.

Bryson DeChambeau is also throwing darts at this green and lands just inside his compatriot. But having been given the perfect read, he somehow misreads the green and shunts his putt right.

Solid par territory for Tyrrell Hatton, who takes two with his flatstick from downtown.

That magical run for Alex Smalley is over as he drops a shot on the sixth thanks to a wayward drive off the tee that meant he had to just dig out a second shot.

He'll look to get back on the birdie train again on the next though.

How about that from Dan Brown?

There's very little noise around the 12th green and the Englishman deserves better as he sinks a terrific 20-foot birdie putt to move up to three under par and a share of the lead.

Looks like he fancies another first-round lead.

In case you forgot the trials and tribulations of Jordan Spieth's win in 2017.

Three pars again for this star group, with Jon Rahm again have a good chance but again just not finding the target with his birdie putt.

Solid enough start but there are birdies out there to be had.

Jordan Spieth had one of his little ventures off line from his tee shot there, playing a shot from a dust bowl off the left of the fairway. We've seen him hit it wider off target around here though...

Image source, PA Media

Russell Henley moves under par with a lovely birdie putt from 19 feet at the fourth.

Going the other way though is Justin Rose who leaves himself eight feet to save par and pushes it past the cup.

It's a tricky three-footer coming back but he sticks it in to lose only one shot.