Golf: Smyth makes early impression

The 130th Open Championship got underway on a bright but breezy morning at Royal Lytham today with Japan’s Hidemichi Tanaka having the honour of hitting the opening shot.

Tanaka’s tee shot on the 209-yard opening hole - Lytham is the only Open venue to start with a par three - failed to find the putting surface however and it was left to Swindon’s David Howell to draw the first applause from the already large gallery behind the green.