US Open 2012: Round one summary
Tiger Woods shares second place at the 2012 US Open at San Francisco's Olympic Club as only six players break par on the treacherous Lake Course
The first round of the 2012 US Open at San Francisco's Olympic Club threw up some surprises as 156 players battled the brutal Lake Course.
Michael Thompson - who lost the final of the US Amateur on the same course in 2007 - led the field by three shots after round one with a brilliant 66.
Thompson took advantage of the morning conditions to record a score that is unlikely to be beaten this week.
Tiger Woods lies in a tie for second on one-under-par after a wonderful display of patience and course management.
The former world number one - oozing confidence after his recent victory at Memorial - showed exactly how to compete with a US Open course: hit fairways and play conservative golf.
His playing partners - Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson - struggled, taking 76 and 78 shots respectively. Watson declared after the round he felt 'beat up.'
As the day progressed, the course became firmer and faster and a breeze picked up, making conditions far harder than in the morning.
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The marquee afternoon group, comprised of Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, had a nightmare start, managing just three birdies between them.
Westwood fared best, playing the last 13 holes in one-under-par for a respectable 73.
McIlroy stumbled to a 77, and Donald a birdie-free nine-over-par 79. Both players need a decent second round just to make the cut.
It wasn't all doom and gloom in the afternoon, however. Britons Justin Rose and 2010 champion Graeme McDowell both finished with back-to-back birdies to end the day on one-under-par, two of only six players to break 70 on day one.
Nick Watney also shot 69, thanks largely to only the third albatross in US Open history on the par-5 17th.
David Toms also shot 69, and home favourites Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk returned steady 70s in tough afternoon conditions.
Ian Poulter matched their 70 in a round which included an eagle two at the driveable 7th.
Where next? US Open blogs US Open pictures
Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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