Lawrie begins Open campaign in fine conditions

Former champion Paul Lawrie today got the 139th Open Championship underway in near-perfect conditions at St Andrews.

Lawrie, winner at Carnoustie in 1999, struck the opening shot at 6:30am and unsurprisingly had no trouble finding the widest fairway in golf.

The 41-year-old Scot's approach to the green finished around 20ft beyond the flag, which was placed close to the burn which guards the front of the green.

From there Lawrie charged his first putt three feet past, but holed the return to card a par four along with playing partners Thomas Levet and Steve Marino.

There was none of the wind and rain which lashed the course yesterday and forced the cancellation of the four-hole Champions Challenge, with the flat calm conditions giving the early starters a great chance to make a flying start.

The pin on the 453-yard second hole was in a much more accessible position and Lawrie and Levet both took full advantage, Levet making the first birdie of the day from five feet and Lawrie following suit from three.

Germany's Marcel Siem and veteran American Loren Roberts, playing in the group behind, also birdied the second to make it a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.

World number one Tiger Woods, seeking an unprecedented third Open victory over the Old Course, was due out at 9:09am, alongside England's Justin Rose and Colombian Camilo Villegas.

Rose, fourth at Birkdale in 1998 as a 17-year-old amateur, is the most in-form player in golf with two victories in his last three events on the US Tour.