Tiger comes out of the shade at sunny Lytham

The Open began yesterday with less of a bang and more of a whimper.

A warm day with little or no wind made it ideal for the players to take advantage of a soft course. And so it proved with many of the world’s best players easily negotiating a course with fearsome rough and some 206 bunkers.

With little wind forecast for the first three days, this may well turn out to be a birdie-fest and already Lee Westwood, who started so promisingly, may find his chances to win this championship are more or less over after a disappointing opening round of 72.