ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — With Jean van de Velde nowhere to be found, Paul Lawrie has surged into a share of the lead at the 144th British Open, which began today on the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Lawrie was at 7 under through 14 holes and tied for the top spot with Dustin Johnson.

The 46-year-old Scotsman is best known for his improbable Open victory at Carnoustie in 1999, when he rallied from 10 shots behind going into the final round to beat Van de Velde in a playoff. Of course, there wouldn’t have been a playoff if not for the Frenchman making a triple-bogey on the 72nd hole.

Lawrie hasn’t come close to winning another major since then, but he was giving the home crowd quite a thrill Thursday at St. Andrews.

The clubhouse leaders were Robert Streb and Retief Gooisen, who both shot 6-under 66.

Jordan Spieth and Johnson have carried their memorable duel at Chambers Bay all the way to St. Andrews.

Spieth won the U.S. Open for his second major title of the year when Johnson three-putted from 12 feet at the final hole.

Johnson insisted before the British Open that he was over that bitter disappointment. Clearly, he wasn’t kidding, playing the first 12 holes on the Old Course at 6 under for a share of the lead with Spieth, Charl Schwartzel, Streb and Goosen.

Tiger Woods has won two of his British Open titles at the Old Course.

It doesn’t even look like he’ll make it to the weekend at the British Open.

Woods was enduring another miserable round in a major championship, making the turn Thursday with an ugly 4-over 40 while most players are ripping up the course in prime scoring conditions.

Woods plunked his second shot of the day — a wedge at the inviting first hole — into the burn that runs in front of the green. That set the tone, as he bogeyed four of the first seven holes.

Of the 87 players on the course, 70 were at par or better. Then there’s Woods, who was only beating two other players, Kevin Streelman and Rod Pampling.