In pictures: the Open at Lytham

Thursday 19 July 2012

Early round one coverage: Tiger Woods, with a steely glint in his eye, made three birdies in his first six holes to grab a share of the early lead in the British Open first round

Barry Lane of England hits the opening tee shot

The American former world number one played beautifully controlled golf to birdie the first, fourth and sixth holes in calm conditions at Lytham to get his bid for a 15th major championship and first for four years off to the perfect start.

Also going well in the early stages of the 141st Open championship was U.S. Masters champion Bubba Watson who birdied the seventh and eighth holes to join Woods on three under. Scotland's Paul Lawrie, the 1999 British Open champion, made three successive birdies from the third before dropping a shot at the eighth to slip back to two under, level with Australian Adam Scott and American Zach Johnson. Woods calmly birdied the par-three first hole, picked up another shot with a snaking 20-foot putt on the fourth and a pinpoint approach at the sixth gave him another birdie chance which he converted with another immaculate putt. World number three Lee Westwood made a fast start with birdies on the opening two holes but the Englishman, wearing the red cross of St George on his gleaming white shoes, double-bogeyed the third to drop back to level par. England's Matthew Baldwin and Indian Jeev Milkha Singh, last week's Scottish Open champion, were the early clubhouse leaders with one-under-par rounds of 69. World number one Luke Donald is among the late starters alongside four-times major champion Phil Mickelson and Australian Geoff Ogilvy.

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In pictures: the Open at Lytham

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