Callum Shinkwin is four-over-par at the Open Championship after an opening round of 74.

The Bushey professional, who qualified for Royal Birkdale last weekend after a superb Scottish Open saw him miss out on the title after a play-off with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, was in a share of 106th place at the time of writing, with only 34 of the 156-strong field under par on the challenging Southport links.

After dropping shots on the par four second and par three fourth, the 24-year-old moved back to one-over with a birdie at the par four fifth, only to let that shot go at the par four sixth.

Having gone out in a two-over-par 36, the Moor Park Golf Club professional dropped to plus-four following a double bogey six on the tenth.

One of those shots was retrieved on the par four 13th but as he did with his birdie on the front nine, Shinkwin followed that with a bogey, making four on the par three 14th.

Shinkwin, who also qualified for last year's Open at Royal Troon, has an early start to his second round tomorrow and his group are due to be fifth on course at 7.19am.

The all-important forecast is for cloudy conditions, but according to the Met Office website the wind in the Southport area is expected to strengthen through the morning from a south-easterly direction, building from 14mph at 7am to 20mph at 1pm by which time there could be gusts of more than 30mph. The wind speeds may drop a little in the afternoon but the chance of rain increases from 3pm.

Three Americans – Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar – are currently leading the tournament on five-under.