British Open Leaderboard 2015: Updating Results and Standings for Thursday

Tough conditions in Thursday's opening round of the 2015 British Open didn't exactly doom the top of the leaderboard, as dozens of below-par scores flooded in throughout Day 1 of play at St. Andrews.

Less than a month removed from his gut-wrenching runner-up finish at the U.S. Open, Dustin Johnson emerged as the early leader on the Old Course with a spectacular round of 65 to move seven under par. But to say there's a wealth of dangerous contenders just behind him would be an understatement.

Take a look at the updated leaderboard as Day 1 action continues in Scotland:

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Some say it takes years to get over a loss like Johnson suffered at the U.S. Open, where he rolled a winning putt three feet past the hole and missed the subsequent putt to force a playoff. Getting paired alongside the golfer that beat him didn't seem to help, either.

But don't let that make you think he's conceding hopes of winning at St. Andrews.

The 31-year-old proved just that Thursday, shooting a round of 65 that led the tournament when he stepped off the course. And considering the windy conditions have gotten worse as the afternoon play has worn along, he's all but guaranteed to be the post-Day 1 leader.

While he's still looking to break through for his first major, Johnson is on the verge of doing something not accomplished since the 1970s, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

But despite Johnson's scintillating round, he's not even the most talked-about golfer in his grouping.

That moniker belongs to Jordan Spieth, the winner of both 2015 majors who showed no signs of giving up his hopes for the Grand Slam throughout Thursday. He shot a round of 67 and left the course just two shots back of Johnson's lead.

While two Americans continued their impeccable form, a living legend kept his struggles going. Tiger Woods posted a four-over round, marking the worst first-round score in the Open for his career.

Compared to Spieth, Woods' struggles seem even worse, as SportsCenter noted:

Many American golfers are keeping up a trend throughout 2015 of USA-centered resurgence, with the likes of Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and others emerging on the biggest stages. But there remains hope for a domestic champion.

A wealth of British golfers are in the mix as Thursday's play winds down. Leading the pack somewhat surprisingly is Danny Willett at five under, while David Howell, Luke Donald and Greg Owen all sit one stroke behind him.

Johnson and Spieth may have the bull's-eyes square on their backs, but it's a wide-open British Open as the first day of the major is put in the books.