“It was tough going from Tuesday, totally different wind, then Wednesday, totally different wind, then at this time, totally different wind,” stated Sweden’s Alex Noren, who was within the second group.

Michael Hendry, taking part in in The Open a yr after being identified with leukaemia, added: “It took me a short while to determine how the ball was flying in that heavy wind. It took in all probability six or seven holes to really feel like I used to be within the Championship to be trustworthy.”

Birdies had been nonetheless accessible. Royal Troon rewards good photographs, and there have been loads available on the primary morning.

Justin Thomas, Matt Wallace and Younghan Track all reached four-under-par. However Troon additionally punishes the dangerous, and Wallace and Track each went on to report triple-bogeys, whereas Thomas dropped three photographs in two holes.

By the point Robert MacIntyre teed off at 9:36am native time (BST), the forecasted rain additionally arrived and had properly and actually set in, falling heavier than the drizzle predicted. The Scotsman is used to those situations and he seemed unflustered as he navigated the primary third of the course in stage par.

Against this, US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau – taking part in within the group behind – struggled. The Texan absolutely doesn’t see climate like this fairly often and, when coping with the total power of the weather, expertise counts.