Unknowns top leaderboard after US Open first round
Australia's Geoff Ogilvy finds himself one shot off US Open leaders
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Friday, 13, Jun 2008 09:11
Relative unknowns Kevin Streelman and Justin Hicks are the joint leaders of the US Open after the first round at Torrey Pines.
The two Americans carded three-under-par 68s on day one in California to sit atop the leaderboard, ahead of several top names including Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby and Ernie Els.
World number one Tiger Woods, who has come into the tournament having had no competitive golf since the Masters in April as a result of knee surgery, struggled on the first day and is five shots off the lead on two over par.
Streelman's round included six birdies - most impressive of all being a four on the monster 614-yard par five 13th, which came in the middle of a run of four birdies in six holes just after the turn.
Hicks also made ground on the back nine as he bounced back from a bogey-five at the tenth hole to pick up shots at the 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes – a run only punctuated by further bogeys at the 14th and 15th.
Only 11 players managed to break par on a tricky first day at the San Diego course.
Ogilvy and Appleby are tied for third with Rocco Mediate and Eric Axley on two under par, with Els joining Robert Allenby, Rickie Fowler, Robert Karlsson and England's Lee Westwood a further shot back.
World number two Phil Mickelson, who is known to enjoy playing at Torrey Pines, finished on level par for the day alongside another Englishman Luke Donald, Fiji's Vijay Singh, Sweden's Carl Pettersson and Andreas Romero of Argentina.