US Open:A late rally from Padraig Harrington kept him well in contention as the 110th US Open got underway at Pebble Beach today. A two over score of 73 won't have thrilled the Dubliner, but he remains just three off the clubhouse lead in the early stages.
Harrington, just three weeks on from undergoing minor knee surgery, had started brightly on the back nine with a birdie at the 11th before he bogeyed the 15th, 16th and 17th. He then bogeyed the second and third holes to stand at four over, but picked up shots at the sixth and ninth holes to sign for a respectable 73.
World number two Mickelson, playing alongside Harrington, was among several players to suffer. The US Masters champion, in the eyes of many the best player in the game over the last nine months and regarded by several leading bookmakers as the tournament favourite, finished on four over.
His tee shot at the par-three 17th ended up on the beach and his second shot at the par-five 18th, struck from behind two trees on the fairway, landed on a seawall before his ball bounced sideways into the ocean.
Ian Poulter shares the clubhouse lead on one under with Mike Weir, KJ Choi and Spanish debutant Rafael Cabrera-Bello. Luke Donald, one of four Englishmen in the world’s top 10, finished on level par following his two-birdie, one double bogey round of 71.
Three-time champion Tiger Woods, who romped to a 15-stroke victory when the US Open was last held at this venue in 2000, was among the late starters and was level par through two holes.
Although Woods is comfortably the best player of his generation, he has several question marks hovering over his form this week. He has played in only four PGA Tour events this season, with a best finish of joint fourth at the Masters in April and a missed cut at Quail Hollow, after he took nearly five months off following revelations of his marital infidelity.
Rory McIlroy (level), Graeme McDowell (one over) and Gareth Maybin (three over) were also among the later starters while and Kevin Phelan from Co Waterford has yet to start his first major championship.