With the small grandstand around the first tee already packed at 6.25am local time, Englishman Howell was followed on to the tee by 2001 champion David Duval of the United States and Robert Karlsson from Sweden.
Sadly for Howell he carded the tournament's first bogey, with a five, while his playing partners both managed par fours at the opener.
With warm sunshine and light winds forecast at the links course alongside the Dee Estuary, a day of low scoring was expected and Howell said the conditions were far different to 2006 when the fairways were baked hard by a heat wave.
"It's very fast. Looking good. It's very different than it was back in 2006, compared to the moment," Howell said on the eve of the tournament.
"It's in great shape. Exactly what you'd expect. It's not brutally tough, rough-wise. And it will be a good Open test."
"We'll be all trying hard to make sure we're leading going into the clubhouse. You can't argue with that, and you always want an early round to be early."
Among the morning starters was Tiger Woods who has just returned from back surgery. The 38-year-old American, who won at Royal Liverpool in 2006, is looking to add to his 14 majors, the last of which was six years ago.
The 38-year-old missed the year's first two majors and while large crowds will follow his every shot, for once he does not start as an automatic favourite for the title.
Interest in the former world number one, however, was still running high with American television channel ESPN having devoted the whole of its ESPN3 digital channel to coverage of Woods.
He was paired with world number two from Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Argentina's Angel Cabrera and was due off at 9.04.
U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer will begin his challenge in the afternoon with Australia's Jason Day and American Zach Johnson while Masters winner Bubba Watson is one of the later starters when he will have reigning champion Phil Mickelson and South Africa's Ernie Els for company.
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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