Summary

Live Reporting

Paul Higham, Phil Cartwright, Joe Bradshaw, Tim Abraham, Ros Satar and Henry Cowling

  1. Peter Scrivener
    BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

    That was as big a gathering I've seen around the first tee for the first shot of an Open Championship. Let's not forget it's 06:35 - not many sporting events start this early.The horseshoe stand was packed with dozens still queuing to try get in. And then hundreds more fans huddled down the right side, phones out to record the moment.

    A good chunk of them then marched down the first - the R&A know what they're doing, putting a three-time major champ from Ireland out first, alongside a Northern Irishman who is just starting to make ripples in the game.

  2. Harrington leads The Open!

    Harrington -1, Hojgaard E, McKibbin +1 (1)

    Yes, I know, it's the first group, but I couldn't resist headlining Padraig Harrington leading The Open....

    Harrington rolls in a birdie putt on the first to a huge roar and if anything an even bigger smile on the face of 2007 and 2008 Open champion.

    And he's right to smile, as back in 2019 we had just 13 birdies at the first hole on day one and only 41 for the entire week. It's not exactly an easy birdie hole first up.

  3. Flashback - Rory's Portrush record

    Rory reflects on his Royal Portrush record

    We've got bags of preview and feature material to keep you entertained as we start things off this morning - including this brilliant flashback on a 16-year-old Rory McIlroy breaking the course record at Royal Portrush.

    The course has changed a bit in the 20 years since - and so has McIlroy!

    Aaron O'Callaghan was one of McIlroy's playing partners that day and we've got his story about that day for your reading pleasure.

  4. Golf as far as the eye can see

    Richard Winton
    BBC Sport Scotland at Royal Portrush

    Royal Portrush course map

    One of the things that really hits you whenever you come to an Open Championship is just how big the site is.

    Obviously 18 holes takes up a fair old chunk of land, but the wider footprint with all the tents, car parks, fan areas and practice areas is colossal.

  5. A special morning

    There really is something special about the first morning at the Open Championship isn't there? There's a big crowd already at the course who all agree.

    Putting Padraig Harrington out obviously helps but it's a golfing pilgrimage fans of the sport make to take in this scene regardless of who tees off first, and what a scene it is at Royal Portrush, which plenty of golfers this week have stated is their favourite Open venue.

    Do you agree?

  6. Fairway found!

    Harrington, Hojgaard, McKibbin

    A huge smile from Padraig Harrington as he finds the first fairway, you can sense the relief after that one!

    His ball only just made the start of the fairway though so obviously plenty of nerves there - as Nicolai Hojgaard bounds his ball past him after nailing a gorgeous low draw, with the kind of shot tracer that golf nerds like us drool over.

    This is a big week for young Tom McKibbin as well, hailing from Rory McIlroy's Holywood Golf Club big things are expected of him back on familiar territory - McKibbin says he's played Royal Portrush about 70 times before this week, so no excuses!

  7. Peter Scrivener
    BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

    How are the nerves Padraig? Two-time Open champ Harrington was going through his putting drills on the practice putting green, which is no more than 30 yards from the first tee.

    He casually nailed a 20-footer before making the short walk to go hit the opening tee shot.

    A cool breeze, straight into the face, will greet him, Tom McKibbin and Nicolai Hojgaard.

    Harrington said yesterday that the nerves would kick in… a huge cheer greets him. Hundreds surrounding the tee and lining the fairway all down the first.

  8. The fearsome first at Portrush

    Hughie's: The first hole at Royal Portrush is a 420-yard par four.

    There's no gentle loosener at Royal Portrush, as the first hole is a real test of nerve despite being just a 420-yard pretty straight par four.

    Out of bounds white stakes on both sides will strike fear into our players, and that fairway will shrink considerably in their minds with nerves already heightened standing on the first tee of an Open Championship.

    Keep it in play, and the second shot is no picnic either with a steep slope up to the green that will reject anything short and send the ball back down to be gobbled up by one of the deepest bunkers on the course.

    Just ask Rory McIlroy about this one as he scored an eight (8!) here in 2019...

  9. Harrington has the honour

    Padraig Harrington will kick us off with the opening tee shot of the 153rd Open Championship, and he's relishing the honour.

    The two-time Open champion admits he'll be feeling the nerves as it's a special occasion - if you've never witnessed the first tee shot of the Open I can thoroughly recommend it.

  10. On the tee...

    James Gregg on the first teeBBC Sport

    BBC Sport's James Gregg was one of the first into the course this morning. He's providing updates into the BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast show this morning.

    Full live commentary gets under way from 10am and you'll be able to listen to it while reading our ramblings on the day's play.

  11. First round pins

    Here's what awaits our players today on the greens - a few cheeky little flags clinging to the edges here...

    First round pin sheet at the Open ChampionshipThe R&A

  12. Getting to know Royal Portrush's Dunluce Links

    Royal PortrushGetty Images

    Royal Portrush's Dunluce Links is regarded as one of the best golf courses in the world.

    Prior to hosting the 2019 Open Championship, it underwent a major redesign. There have only been a few tweaks here and there since.

    The par-71 golf course stretches 7,381 yards along Northern Ireland's northern coast with plenty of ups and downs to challenge the field.

    It is also overlooked by the ruins of the 13th century Dunluce Castle, perched on a basalt cliff between Portrush and Portballintrae.

  13. Selected tee-times

    Rory McIlroyGetty Images

    06:35: Padraig Harrington, Nicolai Hojgaard and Tom McKibbin

    07:19: Phil Mickelson, Daniel van Tonder and Ryan Peake

    09:58: Xander Schauffele, JJ Spaun and Jon Rahm

    10:09: Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler

    14:37: Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton and Min Woo Lee

    14:48: Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau

    15:10: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas

    You can get a full list of Thursday and Friday's tee times here.

  14. Welcome to The Open!

    The Claret Jug at the Open ChampionshipGetty Images

    Good morning golf fans and welcome to the best day of the year - the first morning of the Open Championship!

    We're at the stunning Royal Portrush for the 153rd Open Championship which promises to be an absolute belter, with the world's best golfers battling it out on one of the world's best courses for that famous old Claret Jug.

    There's the promise of some testing weather conditions to come during the week, which always adds another layer of drama to proceedings and is one of the brilliant additions to the unique test of links golf.

    So many storylines and subplots to cover this week but we have a bumper crew on the ground at Portrush to keep up on top of all goings on across the week.

    From the very first tee shot coming up shortly at 06:35am you will not miss a thing, so to see if Rory McIlroy can put the record straight at Portrush, if Scottie Scheffler can conquer links golf or if a shock winner will emerge from nowhere, keep it right here this week as it's sure to be another brilliant few days of Open Championship drama.