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.

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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.

Image source, Getty Images

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.

Image source, Getty Images

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.

Thomas Detry regains a share of the lead albeit not through anything he has done albeit that is maybe a tad harsh given he went right off the tee and still gave himself a look at birdie from 15 feet on the par-five 17th.

Anyway, the point is, it didn't drop and he stays at three under.

Meanwhile his playing partner, Matthew Baldwin bounces back from a bogey on the 16th after a sensational approach to gimme range.

A couple of years ago at Troon, the weather was categorically not sunny.

Guessing that's Andy's favourite Open venue - but which is yours? Tell us using the form at the top.

I have to admit, I do love a meaty test.

South Korea's Sungjae Im gets on a roll with a beautiful approach to four feet on the 10th and then knocks in back-to-back birdies on the 11th from 20 feet.

He finished in a tie for seventh in 2024 at The Open and could be a dark horse.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Tommy Fleetwood knows this type of course better than most players in this field having grown up learning his craft on the links of north Merseyside - and the numbers suggest experience at the Open is a more valuable commodity than at any other major.

Since 2010, winners of the Open have averaged nearly 38 starts in the majors - significantly more than at the Masters, US PGA or US Open.

Fleetwood is making his 45th start at a major this morning - a suitable bedrock of experience to compliment that local knowledge.

Alex Fitzpatrick adopts a classic links golf stance, in knee-high fescue on a steep bank with precious little green to work with on the 13th.

He takes a huge backswing before jabbing his club deep into the undergrowth, from where a golf ball just about pops out and rolls onto the green.