Rory McIlroy gains early momentum on day two of the Open

I don’t see the likes of Matt Kuchar, Paul Casey, Charley Hoffman or Rafa Cabrera-Bello winning so there’s every chance I continue to sit on my hands tomorrow.

Spieth and Koepka were well rested and confident when they set up shop in this charming seaside village. Ian Poulter and Richard Bland of England, Americans Justin Thomas and Charley Hoffman, Austin Connelly of Canada and Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain are tied for sixth after 67s. For Poulter, it was a terrific effort.

Many players struggled to cope with the elements and the punishing bunkers. With the course in superb condition, the players wasted no time producing some extraordinary golf. Still lurking, he ran off three straight bogeys early on the back nine and shot 71 to fall nine back. I often go on about how special I feel golf’s crop of under-30 players is at the moment, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that Spieth is out in front of that group.

Throughout the round, broadcasters warned that the weather was going to take a turn for the worse on Friday, and it did.

Three-time Champion Golfer of the Year and current CBS commentator Nick Faldo took things a step further when he mock-chastised a reporter for referring to the event by its full name.

The recent victor of the Open championship of the United States ‘ Brooks Koepka, also in the head on Thursday evening, has limited the damage with a card of 72 (+2), and finds himself in 3rd place, ex-aequo with the Englishman Ian Poulter (-3).

“It’s not like I went through a war”, McIlroy said.

Thomas looked the part in an outfit featuring a shirt, tie and cardigan, and said: “Obviously I knew it was going to get a lot of publicity out there. But as of right now I still have got a few more to win”.

The early starters at the 146th Open Championship had to endure some hard weather conditions but the three Americans were in fine form on Thursday.

The first weekend score is in the books at the British Open – and it’s a good one.

“I was standing there shaking on the first tee”, Manley admitted. “Made some comments that I probably shouldn’t have made”. To see the ball staying in bounds was a relief. I pulled five-iron.

“I don’t know why, maybe I’m more in love with links golf than I was before”. The player going through the motions on the front nine Thursday looked nothing like the victor of four major championships, including this very Open. Coming into The Open he had missed six halfway cuts in succession on the European Tour. He hit 29 putts.

It left him in an angry mood as he practised later in the day, but he felt that session did him good as he returned to record five birdies yesterday. “But I enjoy it”.

“Padraig won the thing from the bad side of the draw, so it can be done”, McIlroy said. Having missed three of his past four cuts, the Northern Irishman arrived at Royal Birkdale low on confidence. It did not last, as the back nine ate him up a bit to stick Matsuyama at even for the tournament.

It was also a poor day for local favourite Tommy Fleetwood.

A pair of Englishmen had the early lead in their home tournament.

Defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden, Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Adam Scott of Australia, Andrew “Beef” Johnston and Matthew Fitzpatrick of England and Jon Rahm of Spain were another stroke back at 69. “You’re hitting these shots and the ball is just going whatever”. He drove into bushes and finished up with an eight. “He might not have played as well tee to green, but his flatstick has been working very much the same way”.