live |
Scroll down for our blog, where we’ll bring you updates across the week
Shane Lowry arrives at the course with his daughter Iris on Thursday morning
Tom McKibbin was four under par for the last five holes of his front nine on Thursday morning
Tom McKibbin was one of the many players to bogey the first on Thursday morning
Tom McKibbin tees off in the opening group on Thursday morning
The crowds following Rory McIlroy’s practice round were the biggest of the week so far.
Tom McKibbin is in the first group in the first round of this year’s Open Championship
You going to win this week, Rory?
Rory McIlroy tees off on the first hole of his final practice round on Wednesday morning (Photo: John Dickson / Dickson Digital)
Phil Mickelson out early on Wednesday morning (Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy made this fan’s day early on Monday morning
Justin Rose strides off the first tee on Wednesday morning (Photo: John Dickson / Dickson Digital)
Rory McIlroy hits an approach shot into the 18th hole at Royal Portrush
Tom McKibbin, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke embrace after their Tuesday practice round at Royal Portrush.
Shane Lowry and Collin Morikawa during their practice round on Tuesday, when it was announced that they’ll also be playing together on Thursday and Friday. (Photo: John Dickson / Dickson Digital)
Scottie Scheffler in action at Royal Portrush
Rory McIlroy took time out with fans after his rounds on Monday and Tuesday
Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin on the 18th hole during their early practice round on Tuesday morning
Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke during their early start on Tuesday
Rory McIlroy spent 15 minutes signing autographs for fans after his practice round on Monday.
Rory McIlroy’s early start proved to be an inspired decision as afternoon starters like Justin Thomas (inset) were left frustrated by weather stoppages.
Shane Lowry on Monday
Rory signs an Ulster Banner that featured all four major championship logos – choosing to sign The Open corner.
Rory McIlroy on the course on Monday morning. (Getty Images)
Phil Mickelson is set to tee off in the first group on Tuesday morning.
Gareth Hanna and Adam McKendry
Today at 11:46
The Open Championship is officially under way at Royal Portrush.
Padraig Harrington got the tournament off to a safe start with an iron shot down the middle on the first in a group that also includes Holywood’s Tom McKibbin.
The 2019 champion Shane Lowry is due to begin his tournament at 10.09am, while Rory McIlroy is off this afternoon at 3.10pm.
Shane Lowry arrives at the course with his daughter Iris on Thursday morning
The Open at Royal Portrush: What happened in 2019?
Elsewhere, Darren Clarke begins his round at 7.52am, Brooks Koepka is off at 9.47am and Jordan Spieth begins at 2.59pm. That’s just after the man who has been a real home favourite during the practice days, Bryson DeChambeau, is off in the previous group at 2.48pm.
The Open: McIlroy mania sweeps Portrush as locals slam ‘extortionate’ price hikes
Follow along with all the week’s action right here on our blog:
Key updates
Weather warning comes into force
Rory’s first tee struggles?
What it’s like to follow Rory McIlroy: ‘Only for Tiger’
Saturday tee-times tweaked due to Portrush parade
Two on the card for Scottie SchefflerThe world number one, gets a two, at hole three.
-1.
Mickelson at 13The 55-year-old is now back at one under par after a drop shot at 11 and is on that downhill 199-yard par three. As Adam said earlier, it’s hard to hold with the wind behind, as Mickelson’s balls bounds just off the back edge. Lengthy look at birdie.
Edit: Just the par and he remains -1.
The crowds are here
Anybody who thought the 6.35am tee time wouldn’t have crowds following them all day were badly mistaken. A huge following for Harrington and McKibbin, and I’m sure there’s a Dane or two here for Højgaard too.
Speaking of the trio, it’s three pars on 16 for them. McKibbin makes a fantastic up and down from the rubbish in front of the green to stay level-par, with the other two two-putting.
The putt that earned the lead
Shane’s in blue… but in the red!
Here comes the Offaly man. A fine second shot into the heart of the green from 266 yards at the par five second and a two-putt sees Lowry go to red numbers at -1 early doors.
Cautious Calamity?
They’ve moved the tee way forward on the 16th today so it only measures 221 yards rather than its full 236. We guess that’s because of the wind, which is slightly into today, but it also feels like it weakens it a little.
Harrington and Højgaard both find the green but have long enough birdie putts, but McKibbin will have to make up and down from the chasm after his approach hits the green but rolls back off the front and down into the fescue.
Maybe it’s not so watered down after all…
Weather warning comes into force
As the rain eases off again out there for now, a yellow weather warning from the Met Office is coming into force from 11am and lasting until 8pm this evening.
They’re warning of lightning strikes and heavy rain with the potential for disruption to travel.
We’re told that 10-20 mm of rain could fall in less than a few hours, with 30-40 mm possible over several hours – although they do add that the storms are most likely in the west.
Hope you’re got your brolly, out there! Here’s hoping it doesn’t interrupt play.
First look at Calamity
McKibbin and Højgaard both settle for pars at 15, although Tom was a tad miffed that his putt was heading for the centre of the hole only for it to run out of steam about a foot shy. No damage done, as is the case for Pádraig Harrington who pars as well.
Here we go, time for our first competitive look at the infamous 236-yard par-three 16th…
Sideways swinging
The perils of the tee shot on 15 are two-fold – firstly it is blind and secondly if you overshoot the landing area you are left with a treacherous downhill lie into a green that is hard to hold even from the fairway.
Tom McKibbin and Nicolai Højgaard both find the latter to their detriment, McKibbin running his approach to the back of the green and Højgaard seeing his careen off to the left having judged the distance well. Both with outside looks at birdie at best.
There’s a miracle walking the course out there
A new solo leaderLee Westwood takes advantage of the par five seventh hole – one the green in two and a two-putt from 15 feet translates to a birdie, three under par and the solo lead.
Aaaaand it’s gone. Westwood now a shot behind Jacob Skov Olesen, whose eagle at the short 532-yard par five 12th catapults him to -4. A brilliant putt it was, too, about 30 feet right across the green. Right in the middle.
Back in the first group
Pars at 14 for McKibbin and Højgaard, the Dane holing impressively from ten feet after hitting short of the green, but that’s a bogey for Harrington to fall back to +4 again.
Irish League represented
Annagh United manager Ciaran McGurgan is at Royal Portrush today looking forward to seeing Rory McIlroy… and he’s back on Sunday hoping the Holywood hero lifts the Claret Jug.
Feel good factor in the rain?
I’ll trust you Steven but I can guarantee one thing from here on the 15th tee, the rain is steadily getting heavier and heavier and it doesn’t look like it’s going to ease soon.
One of the marshals struggles to get a poncho on, much to the humour of everyone around.
“Stick that in your live blog,” he fumes in my direction.
No problem!
“There’s a feel-good factor oozing all over Royal Portrush. You have voices from America, Australia, Canada, Japan, all over the UK and Ireland. But most are locals and they are LOVING it! Shane Lowry got a phenomenal welcome on the first. But the star of the show so far, for me? Phil Mickelson. He has by far the second biggest crowd following him out there, after the opening group.”
Chief Sports Reporter – Steven BeacomHere comes the rain
It’s light but we have our first squall of rain on the 14th as our lead group tee off on the par-four. How will that affect things?
More on the Saturday evening situation
Cracker from the 2019 champShane Lowry bursts one down the first, over 300 yards past the bunker for the best opening shot of the day so far. Re-run of six years ago, anyone?
Safely onto the green but the putt doesn’t drop. Safe par and Shane’s started.
Pin seeker!
Almost the most unlikely of birdies for Pádraig Harrington as he chips from the back of the green and it hits the flag but bounces away to a couple of feet for a guaranteed par!
We have a new co-leader, though, and it’s Nicolai Højgaard as he rolls in that birdie putt, but Tom McKibbin has gone the other way as he runs his chip well past the hole and can’t make the comebacker. Bogey, back to level-par.
The big names are comingKoepka has gone under the radar all week to as is straight in the red – caddied round, of course, by local Portrush man Rickie Elliott.
And will Portstewart-man-at-heart Jon Rahm follow that up? He has every chance after a super second which tickles down the hill to inside 10 feet for birdie at the first.
Edit: No such luck for Rahm and it’s an opening par.