The Open: Bob MacIntyre takes rough with smooth after bold strategy

When Bob MacIntyre unsheathed his driver on the third tee, there were audible murmurs of surprise from the swollen galleries following him.

Playing partners Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler were poised with irons in hand and a dog-leg ahead. But the 26-year-old Scot wasn't having any of that caper. Last weekend's Scottish Open runner-up was having a lash.

The shot fizzed the thick end of 300 yards and into the rough before a decent approach and two putts secured his par.

It served as a motif for MacIntyre's opening round. A little wayward off the tee, solid enough from the tricky spots he found himself in, and consistent without actually making much happen on the greens.

All in, it added up to a disappointing 74, which leaves him needing a few Friday fireworks to prolong his stay at Hoylake into the weekend. But if the pyrotechnics don't come, it won't be for a lack of trying.

"I feel I played solid. I could go out there and play a lot more defensive, but that's not how I play golf," he said. "I'm here to try and compete. I hit driver on a lot more holes than most people, and that's just the way I am."

On another day, MacIntyre would have been rewarded for that. He was level at the turn - "I didn't hole anything; I could have been one or two under" - before his round was disfigured irreparably with three dropped shots in two holes.

Consecutive shots into the rough, then an overcooked chip, left him with bogey on 10, before a green-side pot bunker on 11 caused him a mischief after another drive into the thick stuff.

The Oban-native had to howk out sideways, then didn't get quite close enough with his fourth before harrumphing off with a double.

"I feel I've played a lot better than my score shows," he said. "I just had probably one poor shot that kind of killed me. You get sucker punched by the bunkers here. They're brutal. You can get lucky or get unlucky, and I got unlucky."

MacIntyre's attitude was in keeping with that of fellow Scot Richie Ramsay, who went round in one shot fewer.

The Aberdonian, 40, was out in the opening group at 06:35 BST and enjoyed the opening round of his eighth Open, even if he wasn't wild on the early start.

"I went to bed just after seven and the alarm went off at 03:45," he said, wincing. "I actually slept okay but I woke up once or twice panicking that I'd missed my alarm. There was a buzz on the opening tee, though, even though it was early.

"I made a couple of nice putts but I just need to settle down and believe in myself a bit more. It's a huge tournament but you can't play too conservatively. When the opportunity arises, you have to go at the pins."

The leading Scot after a bruising day was the last of them to go out. Michael Stewart, who qualified at Dundonald two weeks ago, recovered from bogeying the opening two holes to pepper his card with red.

Ultimately, he posted a fine six-birdie 68 to sit two shots back and give himself a real chance of prolonging his week's work.

The other Scots have significantly more work to do if they are to make the cut, though. Conor Syme and Ewan Ferguson are alongside MacIntyre on three over, while Graeme Robertson is a shot further adrift.

However, Marc Warren will need to conjure up something special after a eight-over 79.