Americans Kyle Stanley and Doc Redman, New Zealander Ryan Fox and South Korean Innchoon Hwang showed there were scoring opportunities on the third day of The Open at Royal Portrush.
With leaders Shane Lowry, from Ireland, and JB Holmes, from the United States, not due out until 3.50pm there was plenty of time for the early starters to make an impression on the leaderboard.
Stanley got off to a flier with birdies in his first two holes, Redman went back-to-back from the second with Fox, two in five, and Hwang had picking up shots at the fourth and fifth.
They were the only four players among the opening 14 groups to get to two under par for their rounds.
It moved Stanley and Redman to two under, just two shots off the group of players in joint-12th place – the first of whom Matt Kuchar was not teeing off until 2.30pm.
Royal Portrush head professional Gary McNeill was given the honour of accompanying first man out Paul Waring.
With an odd number – 73 players made the cut – Waring was given a marker to play alongside as he teed off at 9.35am and that prize was handed to O’Neill, who missed out in qualifying for the tournament outright last month.
The Royal Portrush club shop closed so staff could watch McNeill tee off with a somewhat understandably nervous low, left shot off the first.
Defending champion Franceso Molinari began the day at one over, having made the cut on the mark, but after seven successive pars he made a mess of the eighth after twice finding trouble down the left to drop a shot.
Graeme McDowell, Portrush-born and the only remaining Northern Irishman left in the field, went out in a level-par 36 after three-putting the par-three sixth cancelled out his birdie at the second and he remained one over.
Also watching proceedings intently were Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood, in the penultimate group out, as they looked to strengthen their chances of becoming the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here