Australia’s Craig Parry hit the first shot of the 137th British Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club on Thursday, splitting the fairway with a utility wood off the first tee.
On a damp and overcast morning, Parry was followed by American Lucas Glover and Britain’s Simon Dyson who both found the middle of the fairway at the par-four opening hole.
Title holder Padraig Harrington of Ireland, battling to overcome a wrist injury, was scheduled to tee off at 0758 local (0658 GMT) in the company of South African Retief Goosen and American Justin Leonard, the 1997 champion.
Harrington, who won last year’s title at Carnoustie in a four-hole playoff with Spaniard Sergio Garcia, has been troubled by a sore right wrist since jarring it when using an ‘impact’ bag in the gym at the weekend.
On Wednesday, after feeling sharp pain while hitting his driver, he limited practice to wedge play and putting.
“I’m 75 percent hopeful of playing,” he told reporters.
Ernie Els, the 2002 champion at Muirfield, was set to start at 0831 with Germany’s Martin Kaymer and American Scott Verplank.
U.S. Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa had a 1353 teeoff with playing partners American Anthony Kim and Denmark’s Soren Hansen.
In other high-profile groupings, world number two Phil Mickelson, Britain’s Paul Casey and Hideto Tanihara of Japan will begin at 0920 on Thursday, while third-ranked Australian Geoff Ogilvy will tee off at 0747 in the company of long-hitting American Davis Love III and Briton Oliver Wilson.
Intermittent showers have been forecast for the rest of the day, along with gusts of more than 50kph (30mph).
