Jordan Spieth Shoots 5 Under Par to Tie for Lead at 2017 British Open

Jordan Spieth established himself as the firm favourite to win the Claret Jug at the 2017 British Open as he posted an opening round of five under par on Thursday at Royal Birkdale to take the joint clubhouse lead with Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar. 

It was a bogey-free 65 from the world No. 3, and he looked in fine form, scrambling for pars after his infrequent errors and taking full advantage to pick up shots whenever he created an opportunity.

Spieth, 23, carded birdies at two, eight, nine, 14 and 17 to lay down a marker to his competitors and establish himself as the man to catch on Merseyside. 

He was later joined by U.S. Open champion Koepka, whose eagle on 17 saw him to a 65, per Golf.com:

Here's the current state of the leaderboard: 

Per ESPN's Jason Sobel, the course was proving a challenge in the early hours of the opening day:

Spieth looked rock solid from the off, though, holing a long, swinging putt for his first birdie on the second to put him one under early on.

Another birdie putt on the third slid just past the hole, but the American then did very well to get up and down from the front of the green on the sixth to preserve his score.

Back-to-back birdies at eight and nine then saw Spieth out in 31 and propelled him to the top of the leaderboard on his own for the first time.

A lovely pitch to five feet set up the three on eight and another putt into the middle of the hole moved him to three under at the turn.

Per the Golf Channel's Ryan Lavner, it was impressive golf from the two-time major winner:

A poor pulled approach at 10 threatened to derail Spieth's blemish-free round, but he got up and down for another par.

And, after another decent save on 13 following a poor drive, the 23-year-old sunk a fine putt for a birdie two from 20 feet on 14 to lead on his own again at four under par, per Golfweek:

The first par five of the day on 15 presented Spieth with another good opportunity to pick up a shot, but his second found a green-side bunker to scupper his chances of a four.

At 16 a wild drive into the rough on the right put Spieth in danger of dropping a shot before he recovered well and holed a fine par putt. 

His birdie on 17 was as routine as it gets as he found the green in two and then two-putted for the four to move to five under par. 

Per James Toney of Sportsbeat, not a single player at the Open in 2008, when it was last at Birkdale, survived a round without dropping a shot:

But Spieth bucked the trend as he parred the last. It could have been even better as the American had set himself up with a very sinkable birdie chance after a perfect drive and approach.

But, while he would have been frustrated not to see the effort drop, it was a very fine round from Spieth and one that puts the rest of the field on the back foot.