Jon Rahm: 'Crazy bounces' complicated matters in first round of the Open

The Spaniard, who made a shock move to LIV Golf at the start of the year, saw his Masters defence end in a joint-45th place finish before he missed the cut at the following month's US PGA.

A toe injury forced him to pull out hours before his US Open tee time but he arrived in Ayrshire hoping to put all that behind him only to shoot a two-over 73 - which included just one birdie, at the par-three Postage Stamp eighth.

He said despite recent rain and more during the first day, he was still surprised by the firmness of the links which, with winds gusting up to 20mph, made things tricky.

"I didn't hit it my best today, but it's very easy to get a little bit tentative out there trying to guide it a little bit, but I'm comfortable," he said.

"What I was able to do was make a lot of good par putts that kept the round going, but I didn't put myself in position enough to maybe make a couple of birdies and shoot somewhere even par or even one under, which would have been a fantastic round.

"I recommend watching 14 and 17 because you're going to see some crazy holes and crazy bounces.

"The 14th is 210 yards, back-left pin, severely downwind off the left. Short of that pin it's all downhill. We had consensus in the group that the only way to hit it close is hitting the pin.

"Obviously you can hit it close but it's very difficult. Then 17 it's - 240 yards, the same - downwind off the left, and the green slopes off everywhere, it is just how bouncy it is.

"Both me and Tommy (Fleetwood) landed it front edge of the green and both were on the back edge.

"(I'm) just surprised how firm it's been playing. It doesn't look that bouncy but it is.

"The difference between a couple over and a couple under could be one hole here and there, one bounce here and there and just one mistake in general can make a two-shot difference.

"That's why I'm not surprised there's not many low scores out there. It's a battle."