Rain greets start of the British Open updated 12:57 a.m. ET July 19, 2012 ANNES, England (AP) - The British Open began Thursday with a little rain and a long birdie putt from James Driscoll. Barry Lane hit the opening tee shot in the 141st Open Championship, a 5-iron to about 45 feet on the par-3 opening hole at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. He wound up with a three-putt bogey. Driscoll, an unheralded American playing this major for only the second time, rolled in a 50-foot birdie putt across the green. Low clouds and a light rain at the start of the day were expected to give way to dry weather perhaps into the weekend. Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods, among those favored to contend, were among the early starters. 1 Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy were in the afternoon side of the draw.