Nissan Open: Justin Rose is in no doubt he has the game to win in America - and now he has given himself another chance after an opening 64 to share the overnight lead with little-known American Dean Wilson at the Nissan Open in Los Angeles.
Flu-suffering Tiger Woods, bidding for a third straight victory of the season, is five behind. And Ernie Els, the man Woods beat in a play-off in Dubai for the second of those wins, is a further stroke back after closing his first competitive round on American soil for eight months with two bogeys.
Rose has slipped from a place in the world's top 40 to 86th since taking up US Tour membership two years ago. But what matters most to the 25-year-old are the improvements he feels he has made.
Asked about Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott, two of his contemporaries who have both made it into the top 10, the Florida-based Rose said: "I rate myself every bit as good as them.
"Obviously results speak and there is no doubt those guys have done fantastically well. But if I look at it from an ability standpoint there is not much difference, you know."
"There are many things that I do miss about home - friends, family, things like that. But I think career-wise I can really see a progression," said Rose.
"Some people say 'why don't you come back to Europe and really give the Ryder Cup a full go?' But I feel I'm hopefully really on the verge of breaking through here.
"I feel like I've put in the groundwork and it would make the last two years that I spent over here pointless to go back to Europe full-time."
Woods has not won this tournament in 10 attempts and at two over after four holes the odds were on that becoming 11 out of 11 "failures". But despite feeling so unwell, he had a run of four birdies in five holes around the turn and another at the long 17th before finishing with a bogey.
"I feel tired and am going home to sleep," said the world number one after his round was done by lunchtime. "It's part of the deal - you just have to hang in there and give it your best. I did that."
Luke Donald and Greg Owen also shot 69 to be in a tie for 31st, while Paul McGinley had a 70, Lee Westwood and Brian Davis 71s and Graeme McDowell a 73.
Davis finished just before the first round was halted because of darkness with the last few groups still out on the course.
