GLASGOW golfer Marc Warren today vowed to feed off the massive Open galleries at Hoylake - and move back on to the tournament leaderboard.

Former World Cup winner Warren stormed to three-under-par after just five holes in his first round here at Royal Liverpool yesterday.

And that briefly put the 33-year-old alongside early pacesetters like Robert Karlsson, Matteo Mannasero, Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka.

But he played the back nine poorly as the wind of Merseyside grew stronger and he finished up carding a one-under-par opening effort of 71.

Warren, who finished third in the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen last Sunday, feels he is playing well enough to move back up the field in the Major.

The Scot said: "I started off great. I had a really solid front nine and started the back nine well. But the wind got up after that and it was a lot tougher. "To finish under par, though, was really pleasing.

"I was really close to moving up the leaderboard in my first round yesterday. It should have been a few shots better.

"I had a couple of poor shots into the wind coming back. The fairways are reasonably narrow. Any sort of mis-hit puts you into the rough and because it is so dry in there it is hard to judge a shot.

"To do that and still finish under par for my round shows that I can do better."

Warren is only playing in his second Open - he missed the halfway cut on his debut at Muirfield last year - and admitted he enjoyed playing in front of the huge crowds.

And the former European Tour winner, who is playing alongside local professional John Singleton, is hopeful they can inspire him to low scores. He said: "The crowds were fantastic all the way around. They were cheering and applauding John onto every tee and onto every green.

"But I had it a few times and enjoyed the experience. If you hit a good shot you get rewarded with a nice ovation or a round of applause.

"Hopefully I will get a few more cheers over the next few days. I would have liked to have finished a bit more strongly than I did and am determined to shoot a better round."

European Ryder Cup hopeful Stephen Gallacher was the leading Scottish competitor after the first round after carding a two-under-par 70.

He said: "It was good fun. I enjoyed it. The wind got up on the back nine and made it far trickier. Any time you shoot under par in a Major you know you are doing not bad.

"It is something to build on. I am looking forward to playing in the second round. I didn't drive the ball too well in my first round so there is room for improvement there.

"My game plan was good and my course management was good. I just have to iron out a few errant tee shots and I am sure that I can do well."

James McLeary (73) is handily placed to make the weekend cut, but Paul McKechnie (76), Paul Lawrie and Bradley Neil (both 79) and Sandy Lyle (82) all have work to do.