Muirfield’s demanding opening hole had Australia’s golfers on the back foot early in the first round of the 142nd British Open on Thursday.

Jason Day, John Senden and Peter Senior were among a host of players to struggle on the tough 409m par four as each opened their rounds with double bogey.

The hole claimed several other early victims with Scot Lloyd Saltman, who played in the opening group of the day alongside Senior, off to a horror start with quadruple bogey.

Others negotiated past the deep bunkers and thick rough more comfortably, including Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, who birdied four of his opening five holes to be the early pacesetter.

Senior, at 53 competing in his 19th Open, led off the field alongside Saltman and England’s Oliver Fisher on a cool but clear morning at the historic venue on Scotland’s east coast.

The group teed off at 6.33am local time (1533 AEST) in front of a modest gathering of spectators and were looking to take advantage of relatively calm conditions.

Reigning Australian Open champion Senior split the fairway with the opening shot but a wayward Saltman couldn’t follow suit as he was forced to hit three off the first tee.

Senior then got into trouble, though he was at least able to pull a shot back with a birdie on the second.

From there he reeled off seven straight pars to remain one over through the front nine.

Senden followed up his opening hole disaster with two straight bogeys before a birdie on the fourth hole while Day had steadied the ship with three straight pars.

Adam Scott, who let a four-shot lead slip to finish second to Ernie Els last year, begins his quest for Open redemption at 2312 AEST in a star-studded group with Luke Donald and Matt Kuchar.

Tournament favourite Tiger Woods will then follow at 2345 AEST, playing alongside fellow major winners Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen.

Stephen Dartnall, one of two Australians making their major debuts, faces a nervous wait as he tees off in the final group of the day.