Shane Lowry staying grounded after superb start to 152nd Open Championship

The 2019 champion carded a five-under-par 66 on Thursday to lie just a shot behind English qualifier Daniel Brown, the world number 272 making a birdie on the 18th in near-darkness to snatch a shock lead on his major debut.

"I'm pretty happy, but it's only one day," Lowry said. "We've got three more.

"I kept telling myself that out there because for some reason I felt like the crowd were getting very excited. It was late in the afternoon and a few pints of Tennent's were had out there. It felt more like the weekend.

"I just kept on telling myself there's a lot more to do so I just kind of stayed in my lane and hit some good shots, and I was pretty happy with how I handled myself.

"The walk down 18 was actually pretty cool. I said to Billy Foster [Matt Fitzpatrick's caddie] that it's the greatest walk in golf and I got to do it on a Sunday afternoon with a full house. That's the plan, to try to get to do that again.

"I'd give anything to win this tournament again. I'd give anything to give myself a chance to win this tournament again and that's why I'm here this week."

Lowry's friend and Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy faced an uphill struggle simply to make the cut on Friday, the world number two carding double bogeys on the eighth and 11th in a first round of 78.

Bryson DeChambeau, who edged out McIlroy at Pinehurst last month to win a second US Open title, also had work to do following a 76 which was matched by England's Tommy Fleetwood, while 15-time major winner Tiger Woods looked destined for another early exit following a 79.