Open Championship Round 1 grades

— -- With a 6-under 66 on Thursday, Rory McIlroy was the class act of the top ranked players on my grading board in the opening round of the Open Championship at Hoylake.

Yet Tiger Woods and Adam Scott also earned good marks. Phil Mickelson played better than his grade or score. Sergio Garcia got off to a good start with a 4-under 68 as he tries to finally gain his first major championship.

Henrik Stenson did himself no good on his quest to win a major by angrily snapping one of his wedge shafts on Thursday, earning a D, the worst grade on my board.