A golfing superstar is somewhere in the middle of that scrum, let me assure you.

Spieth shows a touch of magic to flick out of the Southport Sahara.

I ended up in a similar spot at the R&A media day here. Needless to say I did not walk off with a par.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler's missed cut at the Scottish Open last week was his first in 79 tournaments but when it comes to the majors, the world number one is nigh on unstoppable when in the mood.

He may not have won one since triumphing in dominant fashion at the Open last year but he is one of only four men to have won this championship along with the US PGA and Masters before the age of 30.

His combined score across the majors since 2020 is -124 - just the 48 shots better than anyone else.

Image source, Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler's reaction to his first missed cut in four years has been impressive so far.

The world number one chips into eight feet on the third and then drains a putt that deviates slightly to the right.

Bryson DeChambeau is also throwing darts at this green and lands just inside his compatriot. But having been given the perfect read, he somehow misreads the green and shunts his putt right.

Solid par territory for Tyrrell Hatton, who takes two with his flatstick from downtown.

That magical run for Alex Smalley is over as he drops a shot on the sixth thanks to a wayward drive off the tee that meant he had to just dig out a second shot.

He'll look to get back on the birdie train again on the next though.

How about that from Dan Brown?

There's very little noise around the 12th green and the Englishman deserves better as he sinks a terrific 20-foot birdie putt to move up to three under par and a share of the lead.

Looks like he fancies another first-round lead.

In case you forgot the trials and tribulations of Jordan Spieth's win in 2017.

Three pars again for this star group, with Jon Rahm again have a good chance but again just not finding the target with his birdie putt.

Solid enough start but there are birdies out there to be had.

Jordan Spieth had one of his little ventures off line from his tee shot there, playing a shot from a dust bowl off the left of the fairway. We've seen him hit it wider off target around here though...

Image source, PA Media

Russell Henley moves under par with a lovely birdie putt from 19 feet at the fourth.

Going the other way though is Justin Rose who leaves himself eight feet to save par and pushes it past the cup.

It's a tricky three-footer coming back but he sticks it in to lose only one shot.

Thomas Detry regains a share of the lead albeit not through anything he has done albeit that is maybe a tad harsh given he went right off the tee and still gave himself a look at birdie from 15 feet on the par-five 17th.

Anyway, the point is, it didn't drop and he stays at three under.

Meanwhile his playing partner, Matthew Baldwin bounces back from a bogey on the 16th after a sensational approach to gimme range.

A couple of years ago at Troon, the weather was categorically not sunny.

Guessing that's Andy's favourite Open venue - but which is yours? Tell us using the form at the top.

I have to admit, I do love a meaty test.

South Korea's Sungjae Im gets on a roll with a beautiful approach to four feet on the 10th and then knocks in back-to-back birdies on the 11th from 20 feet.

He finished in a tie for seventh in 2024 at The Open and could be a dark horse.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Tommy Fleetwood knows this type of course better than most players in this field having grown up learning his craft on the links of north Merseyside - and the numbers suggest experience at the Open is a more valuable commodity than at any other major.

Since 2010, winners of the Open have averaged nearly 38 starts in the majors - significantly more than at the Masters, US PGA or US Open.

Fleetwood is making his 45th start at a major this morning - a suitable bedrock of experience to compliment that local knowledge.

Alex Fitzpatrick adopts a classic links golf stance, in knee-high fescue on a steep bank with precious little green to work with on the 13th.

He takes a huge backswing before jabbing his club deep into the undergrowth, from where a golf ball just about pops out and rolls onto the green.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

Then...

Now...

Back in April, Birkdale was green.

After what felt like weeks and weeks of rain in the north-west of England, the course looked lush. Fairways like the baize of a snooker table, rough like a swamp.

Fast forward a couple of months and the picture - as you can see from the contrasting photos of the 18th - is rather different.

Now it has fairways like parquet floors and straw-like rough which would make a comfy horse stable.

Image source, Getty Images

It's already scorchio out on the course and another thing that is running hot is Bryson DeChambeau's putter as he drains a birdie putt from 17 feet to maintain his fast start to the championship.

Scottie Scheffler also gets into the red from around 14 feet.

A very handy start indeed for this stellar trio.

Very fair point. Need Bob MacIntyre to keep up this fine start then.

Aggressive play from Jon Rahm with a driver booming it over the corner on the second hole. With the wind down there's certainly the option to take Royal Birkdale on today, and length is not an issue with these rock hard fairways.

In fact, it's the opposite, having to be wary of rolling out too far and finding these pot bunkers, which are a big danger. The difference in strategy will be fascinating as the week goes on.

Image source, Getty Images

A little knee flex from Justin Rose as his lengthy birdie putt swivels away from the third hole at the last minute.

He joins Viktor Hovland and Russell Henley with another par.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

For the average golfer, the first at Birkdale is not a gentle opener.

We don’t have the distance which the pros do, meaning your second is generally a blind shot over the mound and slightly to the left.

No danger for Fleetwood, Rahm and Spieth.

They also have the ability to use their supreme control and get the ball to sit on the greens.

But you’d think that is likely to change as the day goes on and the sun bakes the links to a crisp.

Thomas Detry knocks in a six straight par up on the 16th green. But the Belgian will find that his spot at the top of the leaderboard is gone with Alex Smalley going great guns back down the course.