Follow the latest scores from The Open live as the first day at Royal Portrush gets underway.
The 148th Open Championship returns to Northern Ireland for only the second time in the tournament’s grand history, 68 years after first visiting Portrush in 1951, and features a heavily-packed Irish contingent of Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and plenty others.
But a number of Americans arrive at the final major of the year heading the pecking order, with Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods both hotly fancied after their recent form – the former unstoppable in majors over the last two years and latter claiming his 15th major at the Masters.
But there are plenty of other names in the mix from closer to home, with former world No 1 Justin Rose and in-form Englishman Matt Wallace among those to watch, while Jon Rahm is expected to challenge for his first major victory.
Follow the live scores below.
Latest updates
Good Morning!
Welcome to The Independent's coverage of the 148th Open Championship. It's Day One of the fourth and final major championship of the year and The Open returns to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951.
The 68-year wait means tickets for the tournament have all sold out, including a massive record-breaking 61,000 for practice days.
Northern Irishman Darren Clarke will begin proceedings as the competition for the Claret Jug begins around 6.35 this morning.
Darren Clarke will hit the first tee shot at Royal Portrush in just over 5 minutes time to get the tournament underway.
He's partnering amateur Jame Sugrue and Charley Hoffman.
Local heroes Rory McIlroy and Greame McDowell tee off at 10:09am and 9:14am respectively with Masters champion Tiger Woods taking to the course at 3:10pm this afternoon.
Take a look at the tee off times below:
1st hole
The tee is packed with spectators as Darren Clarke gets the tournament underway. He finds the fairway and is cheered for his effort.
Irishman James Sugrue is next up, he's spoken about how Darren Clarke is a hero of his but that doesn't faze him and he too finds the fairway.
Charley Hoffman completes the group and follows the others down the fairway.
The 148th Open Championship is underway!
On the tee
Next up on the first tee are Emiliano Grillo, Sung Kang and Thomas Thurloway (A) who start their rounds at 6:46 am.
Here's a look at Darren Clarke's opening tee shot to get The Open at Royal Portrush underway:
1st hole
Hoffman, Clarke and Sugrue (A) all take their approach shots to the green. Darren Clarke brings his in from the right side of the green and roles it down to the hole.
Hoffman and Sugrue (A) find the dancefloor as well. Three birdie putts incoming...
Pin positions
Here we have the pin positions for Day One, the opening hole is quite forgiving at the back left of the green.
Take a look:
1st hole
A right-to-left swinger for Hoffman (Evs) rolls under the hole and he makes a solid par.
Sugrue (A) (Evs) has a similar putt and for birdie but leaves it agonisingly short.
Clarke (-1) has a slight right-to-left putt to take an early lead and he sinks it!
1st hole
Thurloway (A), Kang and Grillo all safely negotiate the first tee. They'll be followed by Andy Sullivan, Alexander Levy and Christiaan Bezuidenhout at 6.57am.
Take a look at Darren Clarke's early birdie on the first:
2nd hole
Clarke's found the bunker on the 2nd. He chips the ball out of the sand and lays up for an approach to the green with his third.
1st hole
Sullivan sends his tee shot into the rough, potentially out of bounds, not a great start for the Englishman.
Better luck goes to South African Bezuidenhout and France's Levy who both find the fairway.
1st hole
Up on the green Thurloway (A) (evs), Grillo (evs) and Kang (evs) all get in for par.
He tees off in just over two hours time but can local hero Rory McIlroy come out victorious at Royal Portrush?
2nd hole
Clarke (-1) recovers well from his trip to the beach to make par on the Par-5 second.
A fantastic approach from Sugrue (A) (-1) leaves him an easy tap in for birdie as he joins Clarke at the top of the leaderboard.
Charley Hoffman (evs) continues on his with with another par.
On the tee
Chan Kim, Zander Lombard and Brandon Wu (A) get their rounds underway in the fourth pairing of the day.
Padraig Harrington, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson will all be on the course before the hour is out.
3rd hole
Clarke (-1) looks set to increase his lead with another birdie on the par-3 third hole. His tee shot finishes about two feet from the hole.
Sugrue (A) (-1) finds the green but Hoffman (evs) leaves his tee shot short.
1st hole
Nightmare start for Andy Sullivan (+2) he was in trouble off the tee and makes double bogey on the first.
Bezuidenhout (evs) and Levy (evs) both make par.
3rd hole
It's been a very solid start from the opening group. Clarke sinks his birdie putt on the third to take the outright lead again.
Par, Par, Par for Charley Hoffman (evs).
Par, Birdie, Par for James Sugrue (A) (-1)
Birdie, Par, Birdie for Darren Clarke (-2)
2nd hole
Thurloway (A) (evs), and Kang (evs) both putt in for par.
Grillo (-1) makes a birdie four.
Please allow a moment for the leaderboard to load.
