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American Joe Durant struck the first shot of the day at 6.30am in front of a handful of spectators huddled under umbrellas as the predicted rain fell.

Durant's drive was pushed into the rough to the right of the fairway on the 406-yard par four, but England's Oliver Wilson split the fairway, found the green in two and holed the putt for a birdie three.

Durant and Australian Ben Bunny, the final member of the group, both made par.

Tiger Woods was also among the morning starters as he bids for a third straight Open title, the world number one playing alongside England's Justin Rose and 1999 champion Paul Lawrie at 9.09am.

Woods has played just once since finishing second to Angel Cabrera in the US Open at Oakmont, but the 31-year-old remains a firm favourite to win his 13th major title and edge closer to Jack Nicklaus' record of 18.

Colin Montgomerie, who missed the cut last year but was second to Woods at St Andrews in 2005, was just two groups behind Woods and definitely the star attraction in a three-ball with Toshi Izawa and Stewart Cink.