The Marcel Siem express really is in full flow now. He’s just rolled in an eight-footer for birdie at the par-three 8th to move to five-under for his round and is now in a tie for third at -3 overall!

Here’s how Shane Lowry moved to -5 on the final hole last night, posting an opening round of 66

Wow! Marcel Siem is showing no signs of slowing down. He leaves himself 68 yards with his third shot at the par-five 6th and gets up and down for his FOURTH birdie of the day! He’s now in a tie for fourth at -2 for the championship, having started the day on +2.

Here’s how he got the third of those four birdies so far

Troon is looking fresh this morning

The afternoon wave of players got the best conditions yesterday (and pepper the top of the leaderboard) and will all go out in the morning today, again with the gentler conditions if the forecast is to be believed.

Germany’s Marcel Siem certainly seems to be suggesting that Troon can be got at today as he has gone on a tear to birdie three of the first four holes as part of the very first group out on the course. Siem has leapfrogged from +2 to -1 for the championship in the blink of an eye, just outside the top 10.

The first couple of players are out on the course and Canada’s Corey Conners has birdied the 1st to move to -1 for the championship. But here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks with each player’s round two tee-off time included

• Daniel Brown (ENG) – 11.04am -6
• Shane Lowry (IRE) – 9.47am -5
• Justin Thomas (USA) – 12.53pm -3
• Xander Schauffele (USA) – 9.52am -2
• Mackenzie Hughes (CAN) – 10.20am -2
• Joe Dean (ENG) – 10.31am -2
• Alex Noren (SWE) – 11.47am -2
• Nicolai Hojgaard (DEN) – 12.31pm -2
• Justin Rose (ENG) – 12.42pm -2,
• Russell Henley (USA) – 2.26pm -2

Tiger Woods cut a frustrated figure as he laboured to an eight-over-par 79 in the first round of the Open at Royal Troon on Thursday.

The 15-time major winner rolled back the years when he holed a long putt for a birdie at the third but he fell away badly thereafter in a round that featured six bogeys and two doubles.

The 48-year-old’s efforts were also partly overshadowed by comments from TV commentator Mark Roe about his physical condition during his struggles on the Ayrshire links.

Woods’ difficulties since being involved in a serious car accident three years ago, as well as after numerous back and knee operations, have been well documented and he now plays a limited schedule.

Roe, a former European Tour professional, said on a ‘featured groups’ international TV feed overseen by organisers the R&A: “You look at the eyes, you’ve got to think there’s a lot of painkillers being taken to cope with the pain. It’s not easy.”

Woods was not asked about the matter as he took only four questions after his round, but has spoken about his problems previously, revealing at the 2023 Masters he felt “constant” pain in his right leg.

He has also admitted seeking professional help to manage medication issues in the past.

A year after crashing out of the Open having made “bonehead mistakes”, Justin Thomas is a lot happier with his game after shooting a three-under 68 to take an early lead at Royal Troon.

Missing the cut by eight shots at Hoylake 12 months ago had the American worrying for his Ryder Cup place – although he would subsequently receive a captain’s pick – as he was struggling to find any form.

While things have picked up for him this year with five top-10 finishes, including eighth at last month’s US Open, he failed to make the weekend at the Masters or US PGA.

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes an unhappy Jon Rahm is hoping for a deal between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour to revive his game.

Rahm has finished in the top 10 of all nine LIV events he has played since his shock move to the Saudi-funded breakaway, but his performances in this year’s majors have been hugely disappointing.

The Ryder Cup star was 45th in the defence of his Masters title and missed the cut in the US PGA Championship before being forced to withdraw from the US Open – which he won in 2021 – due to a toe injury.

England’s Matt Wallace carded the first eagle of the 152nd Open Championship to catapult himself into a share of the lead at Royal Troon on a testing first morning of unfamiliar winds and intermittent showers.

The 34-year-old had to come through final qualifying last year only to miss the cut at Hoylake but had no such worries this summer after finishing 20th on the DP World Tour rankings.

He had a brilliant start as, after a birdie at the second, he holed out from the semi-rough at the 612-yard fourth to leap to three under and into a share of the lead with American two-time major winner Justin Thomas, who himself missed the cut last year, after he birdied seven and eight.