A trio of Englishmen made superb starts to the 153rd Open Championship on a rain-lashed opening morning at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

Former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick slam-dunked a chip for birdie on the notoriously difficult par-three 16th to join unheralded Dane Jacob Skov Olesen and China’s Li Haotong in the lead on four under par.

Matthew Jordan briefly reached that number but is one back after a 68, while Lee Westwood, who finished fourth when The Open last visited this course in 2019, is in a group at two under.

Phil Mickelson, the 2013 champion, opened with a 70 which included a magical par save from a bunker, and was then asked for some memorabilia by his playing partner Ryan Peake, the former gang member who served five years in prison for assault.

“He was a hero of mine growing up,” beamed Peake, who hit a six-over 77. “My old boy is out here and he loves him as well.

“I grabbed his putter off him a few times and had a little feel of it. That’s the OG – the one from the Masters.

“His caddie was giving out golf balls and I yelled, ‘What about me?!’ He had a laugh and thought I was being sarcastic but I said ‘deadly serious’ and could he sign a glove as well.”

Home favourite Rory McIlroy, who famously hit his opening shot out of bounds six years ago, avoided the same fate this year but is among the later starters and teed off at 15:10 BST, alongside 2019 runner-up Tommy Fleetwood.

The weather was dry as they headed out but more rain is forecast to hit the Antrim coast.