Controversy continued to hang over Colin Montgomerie on the first day of The Open as he was reprimanded for slow play on his way to a one over par 71 at Turnberry.

The 46-year-old Ryder Cup skipper has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the past week due to his well-documented spat with fellow Scot Sandy Lyle.

Montgomerie, who pipped Lyle to the Ryder Cup captaincy, will have been eager to put the feud behind him with a return to form at Turnberry but was thrown off his game when organisers told him to speed up.

Monty ended with a respectable 71 but things could have been a lot better had he not recorded three bogeys in the last eight holes.

Lyle meanwhile had a woeful day on the famous Ailsa course and ended five over after a disastrous start of two bogeys in the first three holes.

Former Open champion Paul Lawrie, a victor at Carnoustie in 1999 - produced a round of 71 while Gary Orr carded a disappointing three over par 73 with Lloyd Saltman finishing with a five over 75.

Miguel Angel Jimenez leads the way at the Championship after carding a six under par 64.

The Spaniard holds a one shot lead over former champions Tom Watson and Ben Curtis.

The 45-year-old, who has never scooped a Major title, rounded off an impressive day in perfect style with successive birdies on the final two holes to secure the overnight lead.

Watson, 59, defied his years to record five under par round alongside Curtis, who claimed a shock Open victory at Royal St George?s in 2003.

Elsewhere, world number one Tiger Woods carded a disappointing one over par round of 71.