CUMBERWELL Park golfer Laurie Canter put himself in good position to make the cut at the 146th Open Championship after carding a level-par 70 at Royal Birkdale today.

Canter, 27, delivered a consistent opening round to lie tied 40th after the first day and above a host of exalted names on the leaderboard.

While the likes of two-time winner on the European Tour this season Tommy Fleetwood, 2015 Open champion Zach Johnson, Masters champions Sergio Garcia and multiple major winner Phil Mickelson toiled as the tournament got under way, Canter proved largely unflappable around the links.

Teeing off in the final group of the day at just past 4.15pm Canter, who plays out of the Cumberwell club in Bradford on Avon, bounced back from a dropped shot at the second hole by immediately earning his first birdie of the tournament at the third.

Nine straight pars followed as he went past the turn in level-par 34 before a second bogey of the round arrived at the 13th.

Once again though Canter, whose previous Open appearance at St Andrews in 2010 as an amateur saw him miss the cut, recovered by carding a birdie at the long 15th and successfully parred home to leave himself in with a good chance of making the cut after Friday's second round, in which he was due off at 11.15am.

Former US Open winner Justin Rose, world number one Dustin Johnson and four-time major champion Rory McIlroy were among those a shot behind Canter.

Two-time major winner Jordan Spieth carded a bogey-free 65 to share the lead with US Open champion Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar, with Paul Casey and Charl Schwartzel a shot behind on four under.

FOLLOW CANTER'S PROGRESS AT THE OPEN AT WILTSHIRETIMES.CO.UK/SPORT TOMORROW