(Reuters) - Tiger Woods moved straight into the thick of the battle towards the top of the leaderboard when he launched his challenge for a third successive Open title. The World Number One was satisfied with an opening two under par 69 which left him two shots adrift of early pacesetter Paul McGinley.
Michael Campbell, the 2005 US Open Champion from New Zealand, was a stroke behind McGinley at three under par.
As ever, though, most eyes were on Woods. He said it was an "ideal" start to his bid to become the first man since Peter Thomson 51 years ago to collect three consecutive Open wins.
Woods, 31, just about got the better of a sodden Carnoustie with three birdies and an eagle three at the 578 yard sixth.
A finely judged approach after a drive which carried over 310 yards left him a 12 foot putt which he guided into the centre of the sixth hole.
Woods, tied second at the US Masters and US Open this year, had opened his birdie account at the third with an eight-footer and he rounded off his outward half by converting another from a yard further away.
His only blemish before that was a bogey at the short eighth but he got a slice of luck at the tenth after receiving a free drop in the rough as his ball lay by television cables.
A much-improved lie enabled Woods to make his par four but successive dropped shots at the 12th and 13th threatened to take away all his momentum as he fell back to one under.
Typically, he had some magic up his sleeve in the form of an extraordinary, tramlining 100-foot putt which gave him his final birdie at the short 16th.
At one stage in McGinley's round, the Irishman looked likely to put clear water between himself and the field after racing to six under with a four at the long 14th.
He failed to find the greens in regulation at both the next two holes, however, and fell back to four under before parring in.
Campbell, 38, rediscovered his stomach for a fight after sayign he had somewhat sat on his laurels after claiming his first Major two years ago.
He said a swing tip from Fijian Vijay Singh, the World Number Six, and a few happy hours watching a DVD of former Open Champions Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player had got his competitive juices flowing again.
"It was all about my desire but now I've got that fire in my belly and I know I've got the game to win more major championships," said Campbell.
A group of three were in the clubhouse at two under, Woods, South Korean KJ Choi and US Ryder Cup player Stewart Cink.
There were plenty of casualties, though, on a course reckoned to be the toughest on the Open rota. Three-times winner Nick Faldo stumbled to an eight-over 79 alongside former US PGA champion Davis Love III.
Todd Hamilton, who won this title three years ago, slumped to an 81.
