At the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, England's Dan Brown has made a strong start, shooting a four-under 66 to sit one shot behind American leader Jackson Suber. Brown's performance offers a glimmer of hope for an English winner, as no one from England has claimed The Open title in 34 years, with Tony Jacklin being the last on English soil in 1969.

Local hero Tommy Fleetwood, from nearby Southport, also posted a solid opening round of one-under 69, aiming to improve on his previous showing at Birkdale in 2017. He is joined by six other Englishmen who finished under par, including Jordan Smith and Tyrrell Hatton. However, pre-Open favorite Matt Fitzpatrick finished two over par.

Meanwhile, surprise leader Jackson Suber, a 26-year-old American, leads the field after his first round. He is closely followed by Scotland's Robert Mac Intyre and a group including Bryson De Chambeau and Francesco Molinari, all on three under par. Rory McIlroy carded a 72, leaving him seven shots off the pace.