Early starters hit by weather blow

The chances of an early starter charging back into contention for the Open Championship looked to have been blown away today at Royal Birkdale.

Strong, gusting winds were already buffeting the course when Phillip Archer teed off at 7.30am and the forecast did not look good for the rest of the day.

Scattered showers and winds blowing to almost 50mph were predicted, with the worst of it around the time leader KJ Choi and Greg Norman were scheduled to begin their third rounds.

That raised the possibility of play being suspended if balls began moving on the greens, the exposed sixth and 16th the most likely problem areas.

The conditions had already claimed some notable casualties, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood - who made the cut right on the mark of nine over par - both taking a double-bogey six on the opening hole.

In view of the conditions, tees on the sixth, 11th and 16th were moved forward, reducing the length of the course by 159 yards.

Westwood then dropped further shots at the second and fifth to be 13 over par.