Patrick Reed jumped out to an early lead Thursday at the British Open, shooting a 5-under 66 in the first round.
Royal Troon, a links-style course in Scotland, was playing easy with the winds down and the greens holding approach shots. Play continues with cuts after Friday's second round and a winner on Sunday. Rain could affect play on Friday and Saturday.
MORE: Images from Troon | Recent Open winners | Oosthuizen's ace
Reed shot a 5-under 31 on the front nine with an eagle on the par-4 third hole and three birdies. Reed then bogeyed two of his first four holes on the back nine but rebounded with a birdie on 18 to shoot even on the inward nine.
"Early on in the round, I felt like the wind was there, but that stretch of 10 through 14 was the hardest point of the wind," Reed told the Golf Channel. "But it started to die down after that and I was able to make some scores."
Fellow Americans Steve Stricker and Justin Thomas shot 4-under 67s in Round 1. Thomas, 23, birdied his first four holes, double-bogeyed the par-4 15th, but birdied 13 and 18 to even it out.
Stricker, 49, who has been in semi-retirement for two seasons, birdied three of his last five holes to get within one of Reed's lead. He made it through the course in 5 under after dropping a shot on the second hole.
Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy stayed close with 2-under 69s. McIlroy made it to 4 under, but double-bogeyed the par-4 13th hole after a bad tee shot, then backed it up with a bogey on 14. He birdied 15 to get back to 2 under. His putting must improve.
Fowler had a steadier opening round than McIlroy. He finished with three birdies and two bogeys in a much-needed good start after missing the cut in the year's first two majors.
Jordan Spieth bogeyed his final hole to shoot an even-par 71 and struggled to get much going Thursday. He finished his round with three birdies and three bogeys.
Reigning Masters champion Danny Willett is tied with Spieth at even.
Jason Day, the world's top-ranked player, shot a 2-over 73 with four bogeys and two birdies. Day got an injury scare on Tuesday but said he was fine.