Assured Rory McIlroy makes another strong early move at the home of golf

Rory McIlroy cemented his position as Open Championship favourite by carding a rock-solid six-under-par first-round 66 on the Old Course at St Andrews.

The last time McIlroy teed up in an Open at the home of golf, he ended the first day as 3-1 favourite, having set the pace with a 63 in 2010. This time, the Northern Irishman headed to the clubhouse as 7-2 market leader after closing his first round with a two-putt birdie at the 18th hole.

The market moves are similar - 16-1 to 3-1 as a 21-year-old playing in just his second Open in 2010; 10-1 to 7-2 as a 33-year-old bursting with experience - but McIlroy fans will be expecting a different ending to this story.

Gale-force winds whipped across St Andrews when McIlroy teed off for round two 12 years ago - and the youngster slumped to an eight-over-par 80 - but there is nothing anywhere near as sinister in the Friday-afternoon forecast this week.

McIlroy is scheduled to tee off at 2.59pm on Friday. Forecasts suggest he will have breezes of around 13 miles per hour for much of his round, with the wind dying away as he finishes the back nine.

McIlroy, who won the Open in 2014 and has had three top-fives in the tournament since, will have been delighted with his start, but it was not enough to claim the lead, with ante-post 125-1 chance Cameron Young blasting his way to a 64.

Young was slashed to 10-1 after his joyful morning on the links, then some other Americans put their name on the leaderboard in the afternoon. World number one Scottie Scheffler raced through the front nine in four under par, while a birdie at the second for his fellow Texan Jordan Spieth got him quickly under the card.

The St Andrews masses were looking forward to cheering Tiger Woods, who has twice won an Open there, but the old master made a horror start to his round. His approach from a divot at the opening hole found the water guarding the green, then he missed a short bogey putt to fall two over par through one, then four over through four.

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