McIlroy is leader at St Andrews
Making an impressive start at the 139th Open Championship, Rory McIlroy has yet to finish his round but the Ulsterman already tops the leaderboard on eight-under, having racked up six birdies and an eagle on the 9th.
McIlroy started off quietly, with just one birdie in the first eight holes, but the 21-year-old kicked into gear at the 9th, finding the green with his drive on the short par four and then holing with his second shot. He followed that up with three birdies in a row on the 10th, 11th and 12th, and another pair on the 14th and 15th means the lad from Northern Ireland is now two strokes ahead of the field.
John Daly is tied for second place at St Andrews this morning, having carded a six-under-par 66 for his first round. Daly won here in 1995, but his career has failed to reach similar heights since then.
After a white-hot start, Daly birdying seven of the first 11 holes, the American slowed down on the latter holes, with five pars on the bounce before a bogey on the notorious 17th and a par on the 18th saw him come home level with Scotland's Andrew Coltart, who also shot seven birdies with a bogey on the 11th.
America's Sean O'Hair is also six-under, having played as far as the 11th; O'Hair shot three birdies on the first three holes, and found another three in four holes between the 6th and 9th
But Justin Rose, feted by many as the likeliest British winner here following his two wins on the PGA Tour last month is yet to match his pre-tournament hype, the 29-year-old two-under after 12 holes. Rose started well, with birdies on the first two holes, but he bogeyed the 8th to cede some ground.
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