Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell holds a one stroke lead after the first round of The 135th Open Championship after a flawless six under par 66 at Royal Liverpool.
McDowell reeled off three consecutive birdies from the ninth, where he holed out from a bunker, before finishing ahead of a group of five players - fellow European Tour Members Miguel Angel Jiménez of Spain and the English pair of Greg Owen and Anthony Wall along with Keiichiro Fukabori of Japan and, menacingly, the World Number One and defending champion Tiger Woods
Woods, who romped to a five stroke victory at St. Andrews last year, holed a 20 foot eagle putt at the last to complete a stirring recovery after he bogeyed the opening hole.
Woods, playing only his third tournament since the death of his father on May 3, found the left rough off the tee with a two-iron at the first but birdied the fifth, ninth, 11th and 16th before signing off in style at the last.
Ernie Els, the 2002 winner at Muirfield, was among a group of 12 bunched on 68 while Masters Champion Phil Mickelson was a further stroke back, along with 12 others.
"That was pretty cool," a smiling McDowell said after making the most of benign conditions at the north-west England seaside links.
"I was disappointed not to birdie the last but the 18th tee box has been giving me trouble this week.
"I drove the ball really well in general and didn't make any mistakes," added the 26 year old, who booked his place at Hoylake in last month's European leg of International Qualifying at Sunningdale.
Owen, who led the 2001 Open at Royal Lytham after 35 holes, was one of the first to take advantage as he reeled off six birdies and a bogey.
"I was very calm out there and played really well," he said after picking up shots on four of the last six holes.
"I think I've learned to stay patient and just trust what I do. If the golf gods are in my favour, then I'll be good enough to win."
After failing to qualify for his first six Open Championships, Wall has come full circle with a five under par 67 which was good enough for a share of the lead for much of the day until McDowell went one better.
Wall qualified for The Open thanks to a runners-up finish at the Smurfit Kappa European Open a fortnight ago and he is relishing the opportunity. Eagles at the tenth, where he holed from 20 feet, and the 16th, where he hit a magnificent five iron to two feet, proved the highlights of a round that also included three birdies and just one dropped shot.
“When I holed that putt (at The K Club) it was a huge bonus for me,” said Wall, who won his only title to date in the 2000 Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Wall spent much of his youth at Sunningdale practising alongside Nick Faldo. This week Wall has adopted a plan used by the three time Open Champion on his way to victory in 1990 at St Andrews.
“He made a comment years ago when he won at St Andrews where he said he had a different plan for all four winds and That’s what I have this week because I think position play is the way to go. I took that on board.”
Els, determined to shake off a loss of form following a knee injury last season, wasted a chance to birdie the par five last after being bunkered off the tee.
However, the three-times Major winner rattled up six birdies and two bogeys to make his best Open start since shooting a 66 at St. Andrews in 2000.
"I didn't play the last hole very well but it's always nice to make a par-saving putt," the popular South African said.
"It's the first round of a Major Championship and you definitely don't want to shoot yourself out of it the first day."
