They all spoke of the US world No.1 being right back in the groove as Scheffler shot an opening three-under par 68 on Thursday to lie just one shot off the lead as his smooth move into early contention at The 153rd Open Championship felt as predictable as the Northern Ireland weather proved wholly unfathomable.

After a crazy day of rain, sunshine and gusts had made life a test for everyone on the County Antrim links, Scheffler ending up hot on the heels of former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who was in a five-way tie for the lead at four under.

Fitzpatrick conjured up a glorious chip-in birdie on the "Calamity Corner" short 16th to ensure he ended up with a 67 alongside China's Li Haotong, who went bogey-free, Danish world No.354 Jacob Skov Olesen, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout and American Harris English atop the leaderboard.

Scheffler, meanwhile, is ominously placed at three under alongside England's Matthew Jordan and Tyrrell Hatton, as well as Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana.

The only surprise was that PGA champion Scheffler only hit three fairways during his rain-splattered round. "I actually thought I drove it pretty good. I don't know what you guys are seeing. When it's raining sideways, it's actually, believe it or not, not that easy to get the ball in the fairway," he scolded his media interrogators.

Inevitably, the question of his extraordinary press conference earlier in the week when he suggested winning golf tournaments didn't make for a fulfillling life, was brought up again afterwards.

"At times, I feel like maybe I should be a little less honest," he sighed this time. "Maybe I shouldn't have said the stuff I said yesterday because now I'm going to get asked about it more. But overall, I'm just glad to be out playing golf and competing again."

And competing superbly. The 29-year-old has not finished out of the top 10 in the last four months, a stretch that includes three wins.

Rory McIlroy, the local hero from an hour down the road in Holywood, got the most amazing reception from the packed galleries and then had a rare old roller-coaster of a round to end up finishing well in the hunt with a one-under 70 after rallying late following a mid-round collapse.

Olesen, last year's British Amateur champion, did get to five under before his final-hole bogey, having had a spectacular a day as any, sinking a 40-foot birdie putt on the opening hole and eagling the 12th from 42ft.

There are plenty of other luminaries well placed, though, with the last Portrush champ Shane Lowry shooting a one-under 70, one ahead of defending champion Xander Schauffele, while home favourite Justin Rose was two under and Spanish superstar Jon Rahm one under.

A couple of 'golden oldies' shone too, with 55-year-old Phil Mickelson producing one magical chip-in from a greenside bunker at the third to sail on to a one-under 70 for openers, while 52-year-old Lee Westwood finished just two off the lead, noting optimistically: "The Open gives the older gentlemen a chance to win."