Ben Schofield looks at the windswept first day of play at the Open golf championship at Royal Birkdale

RAIN and gales lashed Royal Birkdale yesterday, but reining champion Padraig Harrington credited the inclement weather with helping him get round the course.

The Dubliner, who teed off early into the worst conditions of the day, returned to the clubhouse content with four over par at 74.

But the conditions threatened to turn the Open course in to something more reminiscent of Glastonbury than the host of golf’s most sought-after prize.

Ground staff worked overtime while early crowds descended on Birkdale for the first day of the tournament.

They said they would lay 70 cubic metres of wood chippings in an attempt to save the footpaths from turning into a quagmire.

Meanwhile, Harrington, who teed off at 7.58am, was letting the wind and rain take his mind off the wrist injury he picked up last Saturday.

Harrington said: “I wasn’t thinking about it at all in the bad weather.

“There was very little time to be distracted out there today. I enjoyed the battle today. It really was a battle.”

Harrington had rated his chances of completing four rounds of golf at just 50-50 earlier in the week, but yesterday said he was “90% to 95% sure” he would defend his title to the end.

Birchwood’s Phil Archer, who is playing in his first Open after 17 years of trying, came in with a respectable 75.

He bogeyed the fourth but followed with a superb 20 yard putt to birdie on the fifth.

Throughout the day, the world number 166 was followed by a cheering horde of fellow Cheshire golfers from his club.

One Birchwood member standing by the yellow rope on the second fairway was thumped in the chest by his ball, saving it from the deep rough where it was heading.

The club is sponsoring the 14th hole, with 42 members marshalling that part of the course in shifts.

One of them, Bernard Owen, told the Daily Post: “It’s fantastic that he’s here. We watch every game he’s involved in on the telly in the clubhouse. All eyes are fixed on the TV screens.

“He’s doing all right. He’s hitting the ball straight and low, keeping it out of the wind.”

Fellow Birchwood marshal John Preece added: “This was his life’s ambition – to play here. I would expect him to make the top 40 if he makes the cut.”