The Open 2019 LIVE leaderbord: Rory McIlroy nine off lead as Shane Lowry leads the way and Tiger Woods begins
Follow the latest scores from the 148th Open Championship as the final major of the year returns to Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years
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Your support makes all the difference.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.
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What a turn for Danny Willett! Three birdies in a row, he moves to within one shot of the lead. None of the afternoon starters have caught Shane Lowry's 4-under. Will Danny be the first one to do so?
It'll come for Sabbatini he's been playing with the edges of the holes all round. With three birdies and a bogey he sits at (-2) on the leaderboard but if his putts start falling he could easily catch up to Lowry's lead.
Patrick Reed (-1) makes the first birdie in Tiger's grouping. They're through four holes with Tiger level par, Matt Wallace went wayward off the tee and cam away from the fourth with a double bogey.
Gunn Charoenkul, Yosuke Asaji and Ashton Turner are the final group to tee off. All three find the fairway.
Erik Van Rooyen (-3) moves up to within one with a perfect birdie putt on the 14th. It was a long, uphill put that he timed it well in pace and it rolled into the cup.
Thomas Pieters (-2) moves up to join Tyrell Hatton at 2-under with an 8-foot putt on the 13th. Lots of afternoon players are congregating on the 2-under mark but none have kicked on as of yet.
That's because of how quickly things can turn against you. Danny Willett posted a hat-trick of birdies to get to 3-under but a double bogey on the 11th sends him back to (-1)
Birdies at two and four for John Rahm send him into the 2-under pack and Lee Westwood joins him with a birdie at seventh.
Isidro Benitez (-2) opens his round with birdies on the first two holes.
26 players have taken bogey or worse on the 18th. Callum Shinkwin (-1) is the latest of them. He takes a five and drops a shot for a round of 70. That means he's in the clubhouse under par so he'll be happy with his work.
A consistent round of pars for Tommy Fleetwood has been broken up three times, each for a birdie. Fleetwood goes to 3-under and within one. He's yet to drop a shot.
A hole back on the 12th Brooks Koepka (-3) draws level with Fleetwood. He rolls an eagle putt to within a foot for an easy birdie.
Tiger's run of saving par comes to an end with a bogey on the fifth. He goes to (+1) for his round.
Patrick Cantlay (-2) uses his driver to reach the fifth green in one. He then misses his eagle putt and looks disappointed to come away with a birdie.
The sun is shining and conditions are the best they've been today. If you want a low score now is the time to cash in.
Tyrell Hatton recognises that and sinks his birdie on the 14th to move to (-3).
Tiger needs to stop the rot here, he makes a double bogey on the sixth and drops back to 3-over-par.
In the final group Yosuke Asaji birdies the first two holes to get his round under way.
How quickly things change, Patrick Reed smashes his tee shot on the seventh way to the left and into the rain that's just started.
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