"I'm going to have a drink tonight," said the York bookie's son, after running up a nine in a horrid 12 over par 82 in the cruellest weather of the day.

Dyson had to put up with lashing rain and 25mph winds that greeted him on his 6.30am start at the front of the field.

A drenched Dyson, 30, said: "They were the worst conditions I can recall, brutal.

"It was a big battle from the start. The European Tour would have moved the tees forward a bit on some holes as they were unplayable. I think the R&A will come under fire."

The conditions even forced Sandy Lyle, 50, the 1985 champion who was out close behind Dyson, to quit the championship after nine holes when he was 11 over par.

Dyson's struggle with the elements saw him make a double bogey at the ninth following three other dropped shots, but it was the 408-yard 10th that caused him most grief.

His four-iron second sailed on the wind into knee-high rough and from an awful stance he made five swipes at the ball before reaching cut grass and that led to a punishing nine.

Two more bogies added to his traumas, but Dyson remained upbeat if not confident.

He said: "I'll need to be well under par in the second round to survive the cut, which is a tall order."

Hull's Richard Finch, in his first Open, slid to six over after five.

However, he battled back to a three over 75 with two birdies and a level par back nine as the weather eased.

Finch was playing alongside the 1995 champion John Daly.