Thomas Bjorn with caddie
At the last number of Major's Rory McIroy has been leading after the first eighteen holes. But with Lady Luck barred from the Royal St. George Clubhouse it was not a good sign, as the US Open Champion Rory McIlroy teed off just after nine in the morning at The Open Championship - in his first action since Congressional - favourite to win back to back majors.
In an earlier group the first reserve, Thomas Bjorn, set off at 7.25am having only arrived on Monday to Kent, after the withdrawal of Vijah Singh gave him a spot in The Open, leaving him no time to prepare. Having lost his Father within the past eight weeks, the thought of returning to visit the 16th hole where he dropped two shots in the 2003 Open - to lose the Major that was his to win - might not have been top of the Dane;s agenda.
But as always happens on day one of The Open, the script tends to write itself and as McIlroy bogeyed two of the first three holes, Bjorn set about carding a five under par round of 65 to set the early pace and lead the tournament.
Another twist in the tale came when the Amateur, Tom Lewis, finished his round with a birdie on the 18th to tie for the lead with Bjorn - playing in a group that included Tom Watson - after whom he was named.
In the afternoon two other Northern Ireland golfers reminded us of their intentions, with Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke carding tow under par 68's, delightfully stealing a little bit of the McIlroy limelight.
With the sun setting on the the Kent Coast on Thursday evening the likelihood of McIlroy repeating the feat of Johnny Miller in 1976 seemed less likely. Although given the seven shot swing on day two last year at St Andrews on day two, The Open Championship is not the place to make predictions.
The other challenger looking for back to back wins, Luke Donald, was also drawn in the tougher morning conditions and signed for a one over par 71 with the world Number 1 relaxed in the knowledge that there are still three rounds to go. Enough time to what he did last Sunday at Castle Stuart.
Similarly Lee Westwood will be hoping his luck will be more favoured on day two to allow him maintain the major chase into the weekend, with both players desperate to shake off that monkey, now that both have topped the world rankings during the past year.
The Open champion from 2010, Louis Oosthuizen struggled on the front nine and recovered with birdie on the run home to finish with a two over pr 72. His compatriot Carl Schwartzel also failed to master Royal St George as he did Augusta and ended one stroke better, on 71.
The Spanish battle was brought by El Mecanico, who carded a round of 66 with Miguel Angel Jimenez showing masterful touch around the Kent links, finishing two shots ahead of Pablo Larrazabal.
The in form Sergio Garcia finished level par on day one and comfortably within striking distance.
The 2007 and 2008 winner, Padraig Harrington, struggled on the opening day making the turn in two over par and then compound9g things by signing for a double bogey at the fifteenth. However, on the seventeenth a birdie reduced the damage to a three over par total.
As the light faded on day one of The Open, Lucas Glover and Webb Simpson lead the US challenge with the eternally hopeful Phil Mickelson four shots back on level par - having missed one or two birdie putts during the day.
Ricky Barnes is the other American in the top ten with a round of 68, joining Martin Kaymer and Fredrik Andersson Hed.
On Friday the first group at the starters hut will be Peter Whitehead, Thomas Aiken and Spencer Levin and they tee off at 6:30,
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