Erik van Rooyen held a one-shot lead as he reached the turn early on the first day of the 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie.
The South African, who took a commanding four-shot lead into the final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation before finishing in a tie for fourth, picked up three birdies on the front nine on Thursday to turn in 33.
Englishman Danny Willett was alone in second on two under par after recovering from opening bogey by reeling off three consecutive birdies at the fourth, fifth and sixth.
Phil Mickelson, who won this event in 2013, was among the large group on one under after sinking his birdie putt at the fourth.
Van Rooyen got off to a flying start, firing back-to-back birdies at the first and second to climb to the top of the leaderboard.
The 28 year old tapped in from a couple of feet at the long sixth to get to three under and came agonisingly close to making another gain at the seventh, only for his long-range birdie effort to stop just short of the hole.
Van Rooyen safely parred his remaining holes to head to the back nine on three under.
