ST. ANDREWS - No fewer than four amateurs wrote themselves into the history books at the Home of Golf today as calm conditions promoted low scores on the opening day of the 144th edition of the Open Championship.
Before this week, the best round by an amateur at St. Andrews was 68 - a feat achieved by Bobby Jones in 1927, before being matched by Carnoustie's Eric Ramsey in 2005 and Jin Jeong five years later.
Now add to that list Ireland's Paul Dunne and Frenchman Romain Langasque, who took advantage of early tee times in perfect golf weather to record the four-under-par score.

But going even lower was American Jordan Niebrugge. The 21-year-old, whose spectacular round of 67 is perhaps gazumped by the fact he is eight days younger than Masters and U.S. Open champion and namesake Spieth, rolled home seven birdies and even managed to par the 17th - the famous Road Hole which has been a true card-wrecker on the opening day. 
Niebrugge, who would finish the day just two off leader Dustin Johnson, is playing in just his second major, having missed the cut at Augusta last year. But he feels quite at home on links.
"Last month I came over for three weeks or so and played in the British Am, the Brabazon Trophy in England and the qualifier, so I got to experience the weather and all the links stuff then," Niebrugge said.
"I've got a lot of experience on links golf courses, and just kind of how it plays, how to play some of the shots and just use your imagination."
Dunne, meanwhile, lived every young golfer's dream when he birdied the opening two holes to briefly lead the tournament - but he only had one thing on his mind. 
"My first thought was, 'Is anyone at home going to take a picture of it on the computer screen and send it to me later?'" Dunne told reporters after signing for a four-under 68 that included four birdies going out before coming home in one-over par.
Englishman Paul Kinnear reached six-under-par through 11 holes before bogeys at 13 and 16 and a double at 17 saw him card a two-under 70, as did American Oliver Schneiderjans, whose up-and-down round included six birdies, two bogeys and a double.
Another Englishman, Ashley Chesters, was five-under and cruising until he dropped four shots in the final three holes to card a 71. "I'd have taken one-under at the start, but it wasn't a very good finish, no," he said. "There we go, that's golf."
Alister Balcombe, the youngest player in the field at 19, and South Korean Gunn Yang, both have it to do on Friday after shooting a 74 and 73 respectively, while Ben Taylor will need a miracle after a 10-over-par 82.