O'Malley starts off 133rd Open Championship

Australia's Peter O'Malley hit the opening shot at Royal Troon on Thursday as the 133rd British Open began in calm conditions under blue skies.

O'Malley, who also hit the first drive in the 1999 Open championship at Carnoustie, was followed on the first tee by American Brad Faxon and Britain's Gary Evans.

A 156-strong field will tee off in the opening round of the third of the year's four majors, with American Ben Curtis defending the title he won last year at Royal St George's.

Tiger Woods was scheduled to launch his round at 1342 local (1242 GMT) with his status as the world's finest player under threat for the first time in almost five years.

The 28-year-old American will lose his number one world ranking after 257 consecutive weeks at the top if he can finish no better than 17th on Sunday and South African Ernie Els clinches his second Open crown.

Woods, no longer the dominant figure of four years ago, is backed at 8-1 by British bookmakers Ladbrokes and is under pressure this week to end a run of eight majors without victory.

For the first time since late 1999, he is not the bookmakers' favourite going into a major

World number two Els, who won the 2002 Open championship at Muirfield, was set to start his opening round at 0758 (0658 GMT) with 1997 winner Justin Leonard and Britain's Luke Donald.

"Four or five yeas ago we were in another, lower, league to Tiger," the big-hitting Els said earlier this week.

"Where Tiger was and where he is now is another world. A lot of the players feel that we can compete with him now at the highest level.

"I feel that when he plays really well he's going to shoot a 67. But if I play really well, I can shoot that score as well and I can keep doing that for three or four days."

Conditions are expected to remain relatively calm at Troon for most of the day, with a chance of scattered showers in the afternoon.

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