British Open 2013: Total Coverage Hub for Day 1

The 142nd British Open is underway, and the excitement from the 2013 edition of the unique tournament from Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane, Scotland, has the golf work elated about the action.

Players can’t win the Claret Jug on Day 1 of the Open Championship, but they can certainly lose it.

Here is all you need to know in order to watch the remaining action, along with some early analysis.

Where: Muirfield, Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland

When: Thursday, July 18

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Real-Time Leaderboard Updates: The Open

Underdogs Who Played Well on Day 1

Miguel Angel Jimenez

While Miguel Angel Jimenez has become a character in the sport that everyone rallies around because of his fun-loving nature, the veteran's raw talent on the course can sometimes get lost in the shuffle.

Jimenez is a perennial threat at the British Open, finishing in the top 15 four times, including a smooth ninth-place finish in last year’s Open Championship.

The Spanish star is looking to carry that momentum into this season.

The key with a course like Muirfield is for the golfers to start strong and remain consistent throughout the event, and Jimenez is on the right track. After shooting a three-under-par 68 on Thursday, the veteran is in a great position heading into Day 2.

Todd Hamilton

While many casual golf fans don’t know much about Todd Hamilton besides the fact that he won the 2004 British Open, the veteran’s journey through his career has created the kind of composure needed to thrive at a course like Muirfield.

The key for the 47-year-old American star was a fast start, and after shooting an excellent two-under-par 69 on Thursday, Hamilton has put himself in a position to succeed.

Now that Hamilton is playing well, the veteran will have to lean on the mental control he learned while playing on the Asian Tour during the early portion of his career. With an unflappable attitude, expect Hamilton to play well during the entire tournament.

Oliver Fisher

One of the biggest surprises early in the British Open was the excellent play of one of golf’s top prospects, Oliver Fisher. The 24-year-old rising star shot a one-under-par 70 on Thursday.

Fisher finished an abysmal 152 overall in his first British Open in 2009, and with the lessons learned from that event and the European Tour, the English star is looking to apply all the knowledge he has accumulated to succeed at Muirfield.

There is no doubt that the pressure will eventually set in on the young star, but as long as he shoots another great round on Friday, he will gain the pivotal weekend experience he needs to raise his game to the next level.

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