The Open Championship: Day one update at St Andrews

We’re at the halfway point for The Open Championship at St Andrews on day one, so Coral bring you a concise update of the action so far!

In the first group out was young Irish amateur Paul Dunne, who after half an hour had raced into a promising lead, which stood at two-under-par after birdies on the first couple of holes.

An hour later though, seasoned professional Thomas Bjorn was fighting it out for the lead with fellow Scandinavian David Lingmerth with the duo tied at four-under-par.

Following seven holes of play, the Swede had birdied his sixth to surge into a two shot lead at six-under-par, with Dunne dropping to four under. Lingmerth eventually finished on three-under-par, though by then, the big guns had made a move.

After six holes, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson were both level on four-under-par after some fantastic regulation golf, with the former aiming to secure the third major of the year and 9/2 with Coral to do so.

Three holes later, the duo still couldn’t be separated with their scores standing at five-under-par, joined by Paul Lawrie who was at the same hole. South Africa’s Retief Goosen, meanwhile, seven shots ahead of them was giving a golfing masterclass and had also reached nine-under-par.

Just past midday, there was a new leader in the clubhouse, as Robert Streb carded a six-under-par scoreline. He is 28/1 to win the tournament, though it wasn’t long until Spieth and Johnson caught him up, before Goosen then tied for a clubhouse lead and Charl Schwartzel birdied on hole 14 to join his compatriot who was watching with his feet up.

It wasn’t long until Lawrie leapfrogged the leading pack to reach seven-under-par at hole 13 though by then Englishman Luke Donald had made it to the clubhouse with a respectable four-under-par score. Reacting afterwards, he said: “I made some good saves for pars on 13, 14, 17. I was happy with that score and I think conditions will get more difficult later today.”