Patrick Reed opened up a narrow lead as perfect conditions led to some low scoring on day one of The 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Americans have won the last six Open Championships held at Troon and they continued to dominate the leaderboard but Ross Fisher, Victor Dubuisson and Masters Tournament winner Danny Willett were leading a strong European charge.
Reed is without a European Tour win since the 2014 WGC - Cadillac Championship but lost a play-off to Kristoffer Broberg at the BMW Masters last year and gave a strong showing at last week's Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
The opening holes were providing the best of the scoring and Reed was one of a host of players to take advantage, holing his approach to the par four third before making further gains on the fourth, sixth and seventh.
A bogey on the tenth halted his momentum but he picked the shot back up on the 12th to sit at five under with six to play.
Countrymen Bubba Watson and Justin Thomas were a shot back alongside Englishman Fisher who made four birdies in his opening seven holes.
The five-time European Tour winner made birdies on the first, fourth, sixth and seventh with Watson and Thomas also making flying starts.
Thomas birdied the first four holes and the seventh to turn in 31 but then dropped a shot on the tenth while Watson had birdies on the first, third, fourth and fifth.
The two-time Masters champion had driven the 382 yard third in typical fashion but failed to make his eagle putt.
Dubuisson was then at three under as he recovered from a bogey on the third with gains on the fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth.
Willett had gains on the third, fourth and sixth in his first seven holes with Kevin Chappell, Jimmy Walker and Vijay Singh also two off the lead.
Rory McIlroy, Jamie Donaldson, Alex Noren and Scott Hend were then in the group at two under.
Colin Montgomerie was the clubhouse leader at level par after an opening 71 on his home course.
The veteran Scot came through qualifying to secure his place in the field and had the honour of hitting the opening tee-shot at the year's third Major Championship.
He did not get off to the start he wanted as he found sand and needed two attempts to get out, surrendering a double-bogey on the opening hole, but he then made a brilliant birdie surge.
The 53 year old birdied the third and fourth to get to level par and further gains followed on the sixth and the famous Postage Stamp as he used the bank to leave himself a five foot putt.
A fifth birdie in seven holes followed on the ninth but Montgomerie bogeyed the 11th, 14th and 16th.
