Duval well placed at two under

American David Duval made the most of the back-to-back par-fives at Royal Lytham and St Annes on Thursday as he shot an opening 69 in the first round of the Open.

The world number seven had faltered with dropped shots on four and five, but a brace of birdies at six and seven, the successive par-fives on Lytham's outward nine, was just the boost he needed.

After a fortuitous par-four at the 419-yard eighth, the Florida-based golfer birdied three of his next four holes to vault back into early contention.

"That's kind of what made my day, that little six-hole stretch," he said. "It really got me going.

"Then I got a couple of bad breaks, a couple of good breaks, so in all in all, it kind of evened out."

Duval, who chased Tiger Woods hard during the final round of last year's British Open at St Andrews before fading to 11th after an eight at the infamous Road Hole, said he knew he had to take full advantage of Lytham's sixth and seventh holes.

"I had six and seven coming and I knew if I hit some good shots I could make birdies, and I did that," he said.

"Then I got lucky from the rough at eight, knocked it on the green there, then I birdied nine, 10 and 11."

Duval, 29, finished second behind Tiger Woods at this year's Masters. He then tied for 16th in the second major championship of the year, last month's U.S. Open at Southern Hills.

His best placing in a British Open was his 10th at Royal Birkdale in 1998, but he has now given himself every chance of bettering that this year.

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