The Open: Rory McIlroy looking to go low among early starters as player slates management of round one
Four-way tie for the lead
Overnight leader Christiaan Bezuidenhout nearly pushed his opening tee shot out of bounds on the first hole at Royal Portrush and that precedes an opening bogey for the South African, a thick lie in the rough off that tee shot meaning he can only hack it short of the green and then he fails to make up-and-down, leaving his putt both short and left. Bezuidenhout drops to -3.
And then there were four. At four. Under, that is.
8 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Rory is here
He's just been spotted entering the premises with his manager Niall O'Connor, formerly of Ulster Rugby fame, and he greets coach Michael Bannon with a warm handshake before entering the Players' Clubhouse beside the main Royal Portrush clubhouse.
32 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
The fifth green is on
Rickie Fowler and amateur Ethan Fang, who's -2 for his opening four and +2 for the week - have both smashed their drives onto the middle of the green at the 382-yard, downhill par four. The breeze is behind again there today - making it an exciting place to watch.
42 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Who to watch early on Friday
If you're just arriving at the course for Friday's play, there are plenty of big names out there. Rickie Fowler is out playing the picturesque fifth. He's one over par for the day - one under for the week - after bogey on the par three third. And Garcia is in the group behind on four, having returned to level par for the week with a bounce back birdie at the second. Following them is Matt Wallace, Matt Wallace, opening his day with two pars to stay +2.
56 minutes ago
Sure Portrush is easy
There's a whopping FIVE players under-par this morning in the nine groups on the course (for those struggling with the maths, that's 27 players).
Amateur champion Ethan Fang is the best on the course right now as he's put together back-to-back birdies at the second and third to reach two-under for the day and back to two-over for the tournament.
59 minutes ago
Player slates opening round time management
Scottish player Daniel Young finished late last night in front of a handful of fans left in the grandstand, watching on in the dusk. There was even a Scottish flag draped over the edge of the stand for his arrival at the green. But it all coming almost six hours after he teed off at the first, left him ticked off as he signed for a four over 75.
He said: "There was another group behind us as well. I think it's one of those where they just want your round. When it's taking six hours as well, it's pretty rough. I don't know, there was no refs talking to anybody I think about pace of play and stuff, which is probably disappointing, why it's taking six hours I guess. It's one of those things. I don't know what to say. None of us saw any of the tee shots on 18 there. Yeah, there was nobody. Yeah, pretty disappointed, a bit deflated at the minute, to be honest."
Today 06:54 AM
Friday weather forecast
Bring your umbrellas folks, it's going to be another wet one. Fortunately the weather is due to improve on Saturday and Sunday.
Gareth Hanna
Tough start for Sergio
The Spaniard had got in and one under par yesterday but it's a nightmare opening hole as he cards a double bogey six to plunge the wrong side of par for the tournament. Again the problem was missing the fairway to the left. Then he found the troublesome front pot bunker and with the flag back left, it's a long shot out of the sand. He couldn't find the green from there, or get up and down with his chip. Half a dozen.
Today 06:45 AM
Gareth Hanna
The one for the nerds: Friday's pin positions
Today 06:41 AM
Some breaking news...
How about this for exciting new golf course plans!
Northern Ireland set for first new links golf course in a century as Galgorm reveals £30m development plans
Northern Ireland is in line for the creation of its first new links golf course in over a century after the Galgorm Collection announced plans to develop a new site in Bellarena.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 06:33 AM
Adam McKendry
First bogey of the day
For Johnson, I mean. There have been bogeys elsewhere. The two-time Major winner drops a shot on the par-five second and returns to one-under-par.
It's the hope that kills ye.
Quoted message
Today 06:17 AM
Adam McKendry
First birdie of the day
It goes to former American Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, who picks up a shot on the par-four first and moves to -2, two back of the lead. We always see someone go low in the first couple of groups in any golf tournament - could the 2015 Open champion be that guy today?
Today 06:17 AM
Adam McKendry
First birdie of the day
It goes to former American Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, who picks up a shot on the par-four first and moves to -2, two back of the lead. We always see someone go low in the first couple of groups in any golf tournament - could the 2015 Open champion be that guy today?
Today 05:55 AM
Tom McKibbin pup-date
It's not an on-course update for the Newtownabbey man, who opened with a one-over 72 in the first group on the course on Thursday and doesn't tee off until 11.26am today, but rather an off-the-course one as he did something rather special with Dogs Trust in Ballymena - check this out!
NI golfer offers home to abandoned pup named after him
Northern Ireland golfer and Open player Tom McKibbin has offered to take in an abandoned pup named after him.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 05:44 AM
Adam McKendry
What does the cut line look like?
It's only the top-70 and ties who make it into the weekend at Royal Portrush and at the end of play on Thursday the 70th-placed player in the field was at +2.
The pin positions don't look to be as tricky today, so if I was to hazard a guess I would say the cut line will be around that mark or might creep up to +3. But we'll get a much better sense once we see how the course is playing.
Today 05:36 AM
We are under way!
Our first group are out on the course already, 2009 champion Stewart Cink hitting the first tee shot of the second round to officially begin day two at The Open Championship!
Good drive it was, too. Right down the middle.
Today 05:31 AM
Good morning!
Ready for some more?
We are back at Royal Portrush for the second round of The Open Championship with plenty of action to bring you over the course of the next 15 hours, with plenty of storylines to follow on the Dunluce Links in this morning wave!
Can Rory McIlroy (10.09am) go low and move up the leaderboard?
Can Bryson DeChambeau (9.47am) rebound from yesterday's 78 and potentially stick around for the weekend?
Will either Christiaan Bezuidenhout (8.36am) or Harris English (10.20am), the only two overnight leaders out early, set a low target for the later starters to reach?
Strap in, we're about to find out!
Yesterday 08:32 PM
Gareth Hanna
Pick your fighter: Jason Day vs Barra Best
Australian golfer competing at The Open brands NI climate 'craziest' he's seen, prompting response from Barra Best
An Australian golfer competing at The Open in Portrush has expressed his surprise at the unpredictable climate in Northern Ireland, calling it the 'craziest' he's 'ever experienced.'
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Yesterday 08:25 PM
Gareth Hanna
Steven Beacom on day one: Rory's an emotional rollercoaster
Rory McIlroy delivers an emotional rollercoaster on day one at The Open… and he's given himself a chance
Rory McIlroy is on that emotional rollercoaster again.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Yesterday 08:20 PM
What Rory said after an opening one-under 70
On his round: "It was good. I had it going at three-under thru 10 and let a few slip there around the middle of the round. Steadied the ship and it was nice to shoot under par. Once we turned for home the wind picked up and it became more difficult. Tough enough day, so to shoot under par was great."
The support:"Absolutely incredible. I feel the support of the entire country out there which is an incredible position to be in but you also don't want to let them down. It feels better than six years ago. I'm surprised four under is leading, I thought someone would go out and shoot five or six under."
Difference on 1 tee this time:"I knew what to expect, it wasn't new to me but knowing what it was like was helpful. I didn't feel like I was walking into the unknown like last time, this time I had a better idea of what was coming to me."
Importance of the putt on 15:"It was a big putt, especially having bogeyed three of the last four at that point. It was a huge putt to keep the momentum I had and then playing the last three holes under par was great."
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