Tiger Woods is fighting! On the 12th he passes up a chance at birdie, it still matters deeply to him, you can see the annoyance.

But at +5 with just six holes remaining, Woods needs a late flurry of birdies to salvage any hopes of contending, or focus will switch to making the cut.

Fitzpatrick is back to E though, a solid day’s work so far, could he move into the red now in the final six holes?

Tiger Woods demolishes the par-5 14th, bombing his drive over 400 yards down the fairway. It earns him a shot back, after a bogey at the previous hole.

Meanwhile, Louis Oosthuizen, the 2015 champion, moves into the red with back-to-back birdies.

Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington moves inside the top 15 with a birdie at the par-5 14th.

Englishman Robert Dinwiddie is a shot further ahead and still has seven more holes to play this evening.

Pace of play has become an issue at The Open, with some players taking up to six hours to complete their opening rounds at the Old Course today.

“I figured it would be slow, but I didn’t know it would be this slow,” said Collin Morikawa, winner at St George’s last year, after his opening level-par 72.

“We were waiting on groups at tees, waiting on fairways. Xander [Schauffele] and I talked about it, we’re watching more golf than we ever have.

“You stay in the fairway and you’re watching two other groups play golf.”

Scheffler taps in for his round of 68 - but the world number one has just seen a birdie slide away at the 18th. Still, he finishes with five straight pars and will be very happy with his start on the Old Course.

Dustin Johnson joins the big group of players on -4 with a birdie at the 18th - all down to the chip from the left side of the green, that.

Woods and Fitzpatrick both had opportunities at the 12th but it’s the Englishman who picks up birdie to get back to even par.

McIlroy, after carding a -6 66 today: “Fantastic start, Just what you hope will happen when you’re starting off your week. I did everything that you’re supposed to do around St Andrews.

“I birdied the holes I should have and I made pars at the holes where you’re looking to make a par and move to the next tee, so overall really pleased.

“It’s another good start at a major, three in a row for me now, and I’m looking forward to the next few days. I need to go out tomorrow and back up what I just did today. I think that’s important to do.”

On conditions on the Old Course, McIlroy added: “It’s the fiddliest Open that I’ve played. Carnoustie was firm in 2018 but it wasn’t like this. I think as the tournament progresses, you’re going to get some funny bounces and it’s going to test your patience at times.

“Fiddly hasn’t really been my forte over the years, but I’m hopefully going to make it my forte this week.”

Lee Westwood hit back at Tiger Woods on Thursday as the ongoing LIV Golf furore cast a shadow over the start of the Open at St Andrews.

The European Ryder Cup veteran, who became one of the most high-profile defectors to the controversial Saudi-backed circuit last month, also criticised the media for “stoking up” arguments between people on both sides of an increasingly bitter row.

That came after Phil Mickelson, another star LIV signing, showed his frustration with reporters after being asked about his own situation.

Woods said earlier this week that players had “turned their back on what allowed them to get to this position” by signing up to play in LIV’s big-money events.

And those comments did not go down well with Westwood, who reacted following a round of 68 this afternoon:

Spieth drops a shot to fall to -1, joining Rahm.

Woods, Fitzpatrick and Homa continue to find difficulty late in the afternoon on the Old Course, battling the rough at the back of the 12th green.

Collin Morikawa joked he became a spectator after his opening round of 72 which took almost six hours to complete.

“I figured it would be slow, but I didn’t know it would be this slow,” said the defending champion.

“We were waiting on groups at tees, waiting on fairways. Xander [Schauffele] and I talked about it, we’re watching more golf than we ever have.

“You stay in the fairway and you’re watching two other groups play golf.”