Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee have risen before first light to illuminate Australia's British Open chances, but Cam Smith's hopes of reclaiming his 2022 title were plunged into darkness after a horror opening round at Royal Troon.
Scott and Lee might not have been too thrilled to trudge out of bed in the dead of night to prepare for yawningly early tee times on Thursday, but both made the best of damp, squally conditions that only really improved late in the day as Englishman Dan Brown grabbed the outright lead with a six-under 65.
Scott, who began with splashing in a birdie straight from the bunker at 7.40am, shot a one-under 70, just a stroke better than Lee, who recorded three birdies in his last four holes to get to level par, both right in the thick of the battle.
