Demure Poulter is early starter in rain

Ian Poulter was more tastefully dressed for the second round of the Open today - although his trousers could soon be hidden from view anyway.

Poulter carded a first-round 71 at Troon wearing a garish pair of Union Jack trousers which had viewers flooding the Royal and Ancient switchboard with complaints.

The 28-year-old was unrepentant and promised a succession of similar outfits for the rest of the week, but was more demure in white plus-fours and black and white check socks this morning.

Waterproof trousers might have been more appropriate, however, with rain threatening to make life miserable for the early starters, Poulter playing in the first match out at 6.30am.

At level par he was five shots off the lead held by fellow Englishman Paul Casey and France’s Thomas Levet, with New Zealand’s Michael Campbell a shot further back on four under.

Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke was also among the early starters as he looked to build on an opening two-under-par 69 which was marred by a double bogey on the 18th when he put his approach over the green and out of bounds.

Poulter bogeyed the second to drop back to one over par after driving into a bunker.

John Daly got off to a good start however with a birdie on the first from a matter of inches, the 1995 Open champion improving to two under par.

Playing partner Rory Sabbatini then drove into a greenside bunker on the 379-yard par-four third hole as the strengthening wind moved round to its usual direction, making the front nine easier but the back nine a tough proposition back into the wind.

Poulter also bogeyed the fifth and at two over par now had to be concerned about missing the halfway cut.

Clarke also used the wind to drive into a greenside bunker at the 370-yard opening hole but found an awkward lie and had to play away from the flag, two-putting from 30ft for par.

Playing partner Adam Scott was more fortunate from another of the bunkers and got up and down for birdie to improve to one over par.

Campbell wasted no time in moving into a share of the lead, the in-form Kiwi holing from 18 feet on the first to join Casey and Levet on five under.

Playing partner Stuart Wilson, the leading amateur after a superb opening round of 68, recorded a regulation par to remain three under, two off the lead.

Clarke had also tried to drive the 391-yard second hole but caught another bunker 40 yards short of the green and narrowly missed from 20 feet for birdie to remain two under.