Woods on the prowl, Thompson leads US Open

Reuters: Tiger Woods moved ominously into his favourite territory on Thursday, clawing his way into contention with a one-under-par 69 in tough scoring conditions to lie three shots off the early US Open lead.

As the year’s second major lived up to its reputation as the toughest championship of all, the former world number one mixed three birdies with two bogeys to finish the opening round three behind fellow American Michael Thompson at the Olympic Club.

“I played well today,” three-times champion Woods told reporters. “I felt like I had control of my game all day and just stuck to my game plan and executed my game plan.

“I made a couple changes out there because the wind had shifted and the fairways were faster. We knew it was going to get quick as the week progressed, but we didn’t think it was going to happen overnight.”

The little known Thompson, who tied for 29th in his only previous US Open appearance in 2008, upstaged the game’s biggest names by carding a seven-birdie 66 on the challenging, hilly Lake Course.

Though Thompson bogeyed three of the first six holes - a stretch widely regarded as the most difficult start in the majors - he then surged up the leader board with six birdies in bright sunshine to take control of the tournament.

Woods was tied for second with 2001 PGA Championship winner David Toms, one stroke better than compatriots Jason Bohn and amateur Beau Hossler, and South Korea’s Park Jae-bum, who opened with matching 70s.

Most of the early starters struggled on the tight fairways and quickening greens, four-times major winner Phil Mickelson carding a 76 and Masters champion Bubba Watson battling to a 78.

“I didn’t play very well,” Mickelson said after a round including seven bogeys and just one birdie. “I fought hard there for a while trying to keep it at a few over (par). It was a tough day when you play it the way I did.”

Chinese teenager Andy Zhang, at 14 the youngest competitor at a US Open since 1945 and possibly of all time, was at 10 over par with two holes to play.

Woods, who won the most recent of his 14 major titles at the 2008 US Open, oozed confidence throughout his round as he outshone his playing partners Mickelson and Watson in front of huge galleries.

He was rock solid as he parred his first five holes after teeing off at the ninth, but bogeyed the 14th after his tee shot ended up in thick rough.

However Woods recovered with a two-putt birdie at the par-five 17th and then knocked in birdie putts from 10 and 30 feet at the fifth and sixth to move within a stroke of the lead.

Though he bogeyed the par-four sixth after finding a bunker with his approach, he parred the last two holes to remain in touch with Thompson.