Right, I have no idea what Hudson Swafford is up to down the 18th, but he's taking a ruddy long time about it - so for the two of you still reading this, I'm going to wrap this up. Much intrigue on day one, and plenty of Brits floating around the leaderboard. Peter Scrivener to take you through the early stages tomorrow, I'm back tomorrow night (right when everyone will be watching the football...)
Disaster for Hudson Swafford at the par-four eighth, he's just made double-bogey to drop back to one over par... fabulous round from England's Matt Richardson, he's carded a 73.
Blaine Peffley, a regular on the Hooters Tour, is propping up the first-round leaderboard, he's 12 over through 15. Swafford remains one under with three to play. Martin Kaymer is having a right old arm-wrestle with the course down the back nine - bogeys at 11, 12 and 16, a double at 14 and two birdies at 15 and 17, he's three over overall.
Tremendous round from Matt Richardson, the Worcester man who plays his golf on the Canadian tour. Five straight pars between four and eight and he's two over and four off the lead. Jimenez of Spain bogeyed the last for a two-over round of 73. Bits falling off England's Oliver Wilson down the back nine - bogey at 12 and 17 and a double at 16, he's four over.
Ross Fisher has birdied the eighth and is still in the hunt at three over. "These greens are just awful," says Woods in his post-round interview... ouch... As it stands there are just 10 men under par, and there are 140 men within 10 shots of the lead. Not many players still out there, but University of Georgia amateur Hudson Swafford is one of them, one off the lead through 14.
Els' birdie putt slinks round the side of the hole, thinks about dropping and then decides to slide round the back instead. A round of 73 for the former two-time champion, it could have been better but he seems happy enough. Birdie at the last for Westwood - awful start, a gritty recovery, a round of 74, he might have dodged a bullet. Bogey for Woods at 18, a ragged old showing on the greens, a round of 74 and that's only the third time he's failed to card a birdie in a major round.
Ernie Els stiffs his third shot at 18 to within 10 feet or so, he'll have a birdie chance. Here's McIlroy at 18 and that's a good saver for a round of 75. Westwood from the sand at 18 and that's a plum he's pulled out there to give him a chance of a birdie. What a finish for Ishikawa, the 18-year-old Japanese bending in a long birdie putt for a round of 70. Woods fluffs his chip at 18, tosses the offending club away and that could be a bogey for the world number one.
England's Oliver Wilson is one over after 15 holes, Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland is in with a 74. His compatriot Rory McIlroy is four over after 17, which isn't all that bad to be honest. De Jonge with a nice saver at the last, he joins Micheel and Casey in the clubhouse on two under. Shenanigans down the 18th - Woods and Westwood both find sand with their second shots at 18.
Great up and down from Ishikawa to stay level. Woods misses a very makeable birdie putt at 17, not much fallen for him today. Westwood leaves his 15-foot par putt left of the hole and drops back to +4. Worcester's Ontario-based former Walker Cupper Matt Richardson is putting together a solid round, he's two over after 14. Dustin Johnson's had a shocking day on the greens, nothing dropping at all, but he's still in with a 71. Garcia pars the last for a round of 73.
Hudson Swafford let a shot slip at the par-four second and he's left himself work to do at three. Casey slides in an eight-foot birdie putt at 18 to claim a share of the clubhouse lead at two under. Els leaves his second shot in the thick stuff at 17 before chipping many feet past with his third. Great recovery from Ishikawa at eight, parachuting the ball to within a few feet from the steep bank off to the left of the green. Yep, two shots gone for Ernie...
De Jonge keeps on getting knocked down and he keeps on getting back up again - arrow-like tee shot at 17 and he pops in the birdie putt to reclaim a share of the lead. Els on the 222-yard 17th and that's found serious cabbage to the right of the green. Westwood finds sand, Woods, with a three-iron cut shot, finds the middle of the green. Kaymer of Germany rolls in a birdie at 15 and is three over. Jimenez, runner-up 10 years ago at Pebble Beach, picks up shots at six and seven and is one over for his round.
Mixed fortunes for Els and Woods at 16 - the South African makes a monster disappear, Woods three-putts for the second time in his round. Els back to level, Woods drops to +2. Japan's Ishikawa is gritting his teeth down the front nine (his back nine), that's seven straight pars and he's level par.
Casey's birdie putt at 17 dies on him and he stays one under and one off the lead. That was a par for McDowell on 18, he's in with a level-par 71. Garcia sinks his birdie putt at 17 and is right in amongst it at +2.
McDowell with a putter from just off the 18th green... lovely weight and he'll have a tap-in for par and a round of 70. Els and Woods with irons off the tee at 16 but Westwood's got the bit between his teeth, going with something bigger and laughing in the face of the bunker off to the right. Sweden's Peter Hanson is another European doing well, birdie at 14 and he's level par. Micheel has drained a lengthy birdie putt at 18 to card the first 69 of the day. Another shot gone for De Jonge at 16, he leaves his 10-footer just left of the hole.
McIlroy made birdie at six and is four over. Sergio Garcia picked up a shot at 16 and has just stiffed his tee shot at 17 to within a few feet, he'll have a putt to get back to two over. McDowell's third at 18 and it's not the best, just rolling off the front left. As many doubles as there've been birdies on the par-three 17th, and Watson is the next to miss the green.
McDowell with his second into the par-five 18th and it's a lay-up, he'll have a wedge in. McIlroy with his approach at sixth and he and Watson will have eagle putts. John Rollins, leader not so long ago, has finished six, seven for a round of 74. Dustin Johnson misses a tiddler at seven, which leaves De Jonge and Swafford as joint leaders on two under par.
Carnage for Hoffmann down the 18th - in for a nine, he goes careering down the leaderboard to four over. Nice that he can smile about it, God knows I wouldn't... another birdie putt from Woods misses the mark at 15 but he'll have a tap-in for par. Bogey for Casey at 16, he falls out of the lead. Westwood is clawing his way back up the leaderboard like the trouper he is - he bends in a birdie putt at 15 and is back to three over.
Woods with iron off the tee at 15 and he's pretty much spot on. Joint leader Micheel with a sweet bunker escape at 17, he's got a six-footer for par. Casey from the rough on the left side of the 15th fairway and he gets a flyer into a bunker. One of the shots of the day from Swedish qualifier Rikard Karlberg at 18, a flop out of the rough and into the cup - he's in with a 77. Shot gone for McDowell at 17, back to level. Micheel tugs his par putt left at 17 and he falls out of a share of the lead.
Woods with a testing saver at 14 and he drains it. Hoffmann disintegrating down the 18th, his sixth shot finds the bunker guarding the front right. Ross Fisher's round imploding - bogeys at one, two and three, the Englishman down at four over.
Watson with a long uphill putt for two at the fifth... it bobbles its way up there but misses a couple of feet to the right. Ishikawa of Japan, playing with Watson, has steadied himself after a rollercoaster back nine (his front) - five straight pars between one and five, he's level. Westwood makes his second birdie at 14 to get back to four over - not out of it by any means.
Apologies, Woods and Co are in fact on the 14th and Woods has found the fairway with his second. De Jonge with that rustic swing of his leaks his tee shot right at 15. Joint leader Rollins in a world of pain on 17 - a complete shank at 17, he fluffs his recovery and then overcooks his fourth to leave a 20-footer coming back for double bogey. He misses left and that's three shots gone... Casey back atop the leaderboard courtesy of a long birdie putt at 15.
McDowell is back in the red after birdie at 16, he could be worth backing, he's in form. Matt Richardson of England has steadied the ship after bogeys at 15 and 16 had him rocking - two straight pars and he remains level. Shot gone for Kaymer at the par-four 11th, the German one over.
Thanks for that stint Rob, Ben Dirs back at the helm. Things not getting any better for Lee Westwood, the much-fancied Englishman has bogeyed 11 and 12 and is now five over. McIlroy is also five over after 12, not a birdie on his card. Here's Woods with the big dog at 13 and he lashes it down the middle. Shot of the day from De Jonge! The big Zimbabwean had been falling away, but he's just holed his third at 14 to climb back to two under and a share of the lead.
News of Oliver Wilson, and the Englishman is trundling along nicely at level par after 10 following a bogey on the fifth and a birdie on the seventh. Tiger Woods chips up to the flag on 13 and putts across what looks like camouflage markings - the green colouration - to make his par to stay one over. Ernie Els misses a tiddler for a birdie and stays one over after 13. Paul Casey makes his par five the hard way at the 14th after hitting the grandstand.
Dustin Johnson, the two-time AT&T National champion here at Pebble Beach, is recovering well from his four-putt seven on 14 and makes three pars from the turn to remain in contention at one under. On 13, Ernie Els fires a good one in but Tiger Woods leaves his approach 20 yards short.
US amateur Hudson Swafford from Georgia birdies 17, his eighth, to get to two under and tie for the lead with John Rollins and Shaun Micheel.
Paul Casey conjures up a duck-hook off the 14th tee with his driver, finishing the shot with one hand off the club as is becoming de rigeur among the top pros. The Englishman hits a grandstand and has to get involved in the old measuring with the driver to work out where to take a drop. Back on 12 Tiger Woods splashes out of the left greenside bunker and makes the putt for par to stay one over. Els misses his birdie putt but makes par and is also one over but Westwood drops another shot after driving into the right rough and slips to five over.
Former US PGA champion Shaun Micheel joins John Rollins in the lead at two under after back-to-birdies on 14 and 15.
Paul Casey, a long-time fan of the white strides, makes another par on the 13th to stay one under. Lee Westwood plonks his tee shot on the short 12th into the same right rough that Casey found. Woods goes left, Els sticks it to about 10 feet.
Graeme McDowell is battling to stay close to the leaders and berates himself for missing from about 12 feet on 14 to slip back to level par. Brendon De Jonge makes a second straight bogey on 11 to fall back to one under, and then Heath Slocum bogeys nine to leave just John Rollins in the lead at two under. Tiger Woods, by the way has hit the first 10 greens in regulation. Not having to hit driver on every hole seems to be an advantage and he is showing some ominous signs. Still one over, but playing partners Ernie Els and Lee Westwood drop shots at 11 to slip to one over and four over respectively.
American John Rollins birdies the 14th to edge to two under and a share of the lead with De Jonge and Slocum.
Woods, Westwood and Els all par the 10th to stay one over, three over and level respectively. Paul Casey, meanwhile, leaks a wayward tee shot right on the 12th but hits a good approach from thick rough and escapes with a par three to stay one under.
Rory McIlroy reaches the turn four over after a double bogey on 14 and bogeys on 16 and 17 after starting at the 10th. Tiger Woods just shaves the cup with a long range effort for birdie on 10. Up close the greens have a marbelled effect, a bit like the pattern on a tortoise.
Graeme McDowell saves par from about six feet on 13 to stay one under, just one adrift as Brendon de Jonge edges back to two under after a bogey on 10.
Hello team - a quick change in the commentary box. I'll be coming in from the Fax Machine end for a while. Just refresh your screen and we'll be up and running.
McIlroy, with that fluid swing of his, like honey trickling off the back of a spoon, rips it at 18 and finds the rough off to the right, much like everyone else. Woods has muffed his par putt at nine - three putts and 19 for the nine. That's not a tournament-winning short game. A shot gone for Els, too, but Westwood makes his par to stay three over.
McDowell made his birdie putt at 12 and is back in the red. Here's Woods with a lengthy, 40-foot birdie putt at nine and it comes up about six feet short. Watson misses his par putt at 17, his eighth, and is three over. Casey recovered well from that bogey at nine, he made a par at 10.
Woods and Westwood find the green with their approaches at the par-four ninth, Ernie comes up a fraction short. Heath Slocum makes a solid par at seven to stay two under. Watson with a nice recovery at 17, he'll have a makeable putt for par. Miguel Angel Jimenez is putting a respectable round together, the Spaniard is two over after seven.
Watson slaps his tee shot into a greenside bunker at 17. Brendon de Jonge is our new outright leader, the Zimbabwean rolling in a birdie putt at nine for an outward 32. Sad to see Garcia toiling like he is this season - he finds the lip of a fairway bunker at 10 and the ball ricochets back over his head. Not a bad recovery though, a peach that curls to within 10 feet.
Heath Slocum swaps places with Casey at the top of the leaderboard, the American has birdied three and six to get to two under. Another shot gone for McIlroy at 16, the Northern Irishman drops back to three over. His compatriot McDowell is ablaze, however, witness that tee shot right into the guts of the 12th green.
Martin Kaymer of Germany and playing partner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa are on the march - they're both in the red after six holes. Ryan Moore, his right foot perilously close to the cliff edge, finds the sand with his second at 17 but flops on with his third. Woods with an eight-footer for par at eight and he's fairly slammed that in. Richardson with a meaty birdie putt at 15 and he's rattled that a few yards by.
Extraordinary tee shot from Ryan Moore at 17 - the American gives it a fair tap but goes with a rescue club and balloons it right and almost into the Pacific. As it turns out, the ball gets stuck under a lunch box or something and it looks as though he might get a free drop. Casey bogeys the ninth to drop back to one under, leaving De Jonge and mystery Englishman Matt Richardson in a share of the lead.
McDowell with a great save at 10 to stay level. De Jonge with a little plop out of the green-side rough at eight and he rolls in his three-footer for par. Watson ankle deep at 16 but that's a pretty decent effort, but playing partner McIlroy is too bold with his and leaves himself a chip for par. Woods into the heart of the green with his second at eight and Els follows him on.
Casey tugs his three wood into the rough at nine. Good start from Brendan de Jonge of Zimbabwe - birdies at six and seven and he's in a three-way tie for the lead. Aaron Baddeley of Australia somehow four putts from no more than 12 feet on 17, he's eight over after eight...
Morgan Hoffmann has dropped off the lead after a bogey at 11 and he misses just left with a lengthy birdie putt at 12. Ross Fisher buries a monster at the monstrous 14th, he's level again. Garcia finds the middle of the cup with a curling, 25-footer at eight, the Spaniard back to one over. Els makes par at seven, and it's another par for Woods after his birdie attempt refuses to break. Casey with another save on eight, he stays two under. Well done Westwood, he makes the most of that peach of a tee shot with a birdie at seven to get back to three over.
Els' tee shot at the 106-yard seventh finds the back of the green, as does Woods'. Westwood, from the far left of the tee box, is all over the flag and the ball grips and yo-yos to within 10 feet of the cup. Shot gone for McDowell at nine but he's out in a very solid level par.
Watson with a scything second out of the rough at 15, right into the heart of the green. Els leaves his eagle attempt short at six, a rather timid effort from the two-time winner. Here's Sergio with his second at eight and he finds the dancefloor. Watson birdies the 15th and the old fella is back to one over par.
The wind really causing havoc now, lots of shots coming up short, or indeed flying long. Woods doing a Faldo at the moment, five straight pars to start. Good recovery from Dustin Johnson, following up those four putts at 14 with a birdie at 15. Matt Walker? Who's he?
Casey splashes out to within 20 feet at seven, that could be a shot gone. Watson made bogey at 14, playing partner McIlroy made a double - they slip back to two over. No such problems for Ishikawa, he makes birdie at the card-wrecker and climbs to level par. Casey drains his 15-foot par putt at seven to retain the lead. Morgan Hoffmann has joined Casey and compatriot Matt Richardson on two under, birdies at eight and 10 for the American.
My apologies, that tricky putt coming back for Westwood at five was for bogey and unfortunately he missed it - shocking start, he's four over. Matt Richardson, a former Walker Cup player from Worcester, is two under after birdies at one and two. Two Englishman atop the leaderboard, although Casey has just overcooked his tee shot at the par-three seventh...
Dustin Johnson with a four-putt seven at the par-five 14th, the American goes tumbling down the leaderboard. The course really playing some tricks now as the breeze gets up and the greens harden - Watson's second at the spiteful 14th jumps left and rolls down the hill at the rear of the green.
Westwood toiling at best - too heavy out of the sand and he'll be lucky to escape with a bogey from there. He putts from just off the green and has a six-footer for bogey coming back. Ross Fisher drops two shots at the par-three 12th.
Ross Fisher of England starts brightly with a birdie at the first. Casey has found the lip of a bunker with his tee shot at six - fairway metal off the tee, perhaps he should have used an iron. He does manage to get plenty of club on it and nudge it up towards the hole but the green-side rough has gobbled that up, that's not an easy third shot. Westwood squirts his tee shot right at five, he's in a trap.
Graeme McDowell makes a 30-footer disappear at seven, two birdies on the spin and he's one under. Els, his trousers flip-flapping in the wind, comes up short with his birdie putt at four and stays level. McIlroy, after a smart chip out of some green-side nonsense, rolls in for par at 13.
Graeme McDowell is back level after a six-foot birdie putt at six and Sergio's rolled in a monster at four to climb to two under - he made bogey at three and a double at four. That was a very decent effort from Casey at five, a birdie from fully 25 feet. Woods down the hill at four but he hasn't hit it - tricky putt for par. Westwood doesn't read his effort either, he stays two over.
Wheatcroft misses left with his par putt at eight and he drops back into a 12-way tie for first. Here's a special guy driving off the 10th - Erik Compton, a former Walker Cupper who's had two heart transplants and three hearts in his time. Morgan Hoffmann of the United States birdies eight to join the bunfight on one under. Paul Casey of England has birdied the fifth and snatched the outright lead at two under...
Casey with a decent effort off the tee at five, the ball checking right and coming to rest about 20 feet from the cup. Ishikawa drains his par putt at 12 to stay level, and it's three straight pars for playing partner McIlroy.
Casey of England with a left-to-right slider for birdie at four but he hasn't hit it hard enough. Els' birdie attempt at three slides by, as does Westwood's par effort. Here's McIlroy off the tee at 12 and he's stiffed a five iron to within 20 feet. Kenny Perry drains a 15-foot birdie putt at 11 to move to one under. It could have been three birdies in three for Tiger, but while his long game looks good, his putting hasn't clicked just yet - he stays level.
Eighteen-year-old Ishikawa, decked out like a giant flamingo, finds sand off the tee at 12 - the Japanese youngster bogeyed 10, birdied 11. Westwood with a neat pitch into the third but he's got a 20-footer coming back for par. Watson's tee shot at 12 scuttles over the back of the green...
David Love birdied the 10th, his first, and is one under. McIlroy for par at 11 and he's in from eight feet or so. Westwood hooked off the third tee and he's unable to reach the green from the rough - scruffy start for the fancied Englishman. Dustin Johnson with a putt at 13 for a share of the lead but that's a rather twitchy stroke and he stays one under.
America's Steven Wheatcroft has birdied two of his first six holes to go to the top of the leaderboard.
Cracking shot from Woods out of the fairway sand and lands one softly on the green but hangs the eight-foot birdie putt out to the right. Els found the greenside bunker with his second, but flops out and in for an unlikely birdie. Elsewhere, Paul Casey joins the group at one under with a lovely birdie on three.
Only eight players under par for the tournament and only four of those have completed their rounds - Poulter is topping the leaderboard with Korea's KJ Choi, Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Canada's Mike Weir the other three in the clubhouse.
Give the page a little manual refresh if you would - change in the hotseat for a few minutes while Ben rests his aching digits. Ta.
Woods through the eye of a needle off the second tee but his ball scuttles into a fairway bunker. Tom Lehman pitches in for par at the third, the 1996 runner-up stays one over. Simon Khan of Essex carded a 76 - five bogeys and no birdies on his card.
Els sends his birdie putt at the first sliding by before Woods' uphill effort ducks just right - the world number one taps in for par. Hit it Ernie! Got his putter caught up in his pinny there, shot gone already. Good clutch bogey putt for Westwood but that was not a good result after a short iron in.
Westwood with a nervy-looking chip shot and he'll have a nasty one for par coming back down. Ishikawa and McIlroy are playing with Tom Watson, who's more than twice their combined age. Ishikawa pulls his tee shot at the 10th hole, his first, before McIlroy laces his down the middle. Nice and easy from Watson, the 1982 champion at Pebble Beach.
Woods with his second at the first - the fairway sloping down to the right, the ball well below his feet, and he's stopped it to within 15 feet. Bit strong from Els, but he's on the back of the green, but Westwood's effort has come up just shy of the short stuff.
McDowell follows his birdie at one with a bogey at two. Ross McGowan is still grinding, he's level par after 17 with only the ninth to play. Barlow muffs a short par putt at the seventh, the American is back to level. Gary Boyd of England has kicked off with four straight pars.
It's Worksop's Westwood first off the tee and that's pretty much perfect, his ball coming to rest on the right-hand side of the fairway. Els, champion in 1994 and 1997, rattles his tee shot down the middle before Woods, taking an iron like his playing partners, follows suit. Social golf.
Right, it's almost time for Tiger, Ernie and Lee. Poults finally escapes the sand at 18, he's got a slippery left-to-righter for par at 18... sweet, sweet effort, he's in with a 70...
kwiniaskagolfer on 606:
"32 putts for Phil. If he repeats that in rounds two, three and four he's got no chance. Good recovery by Harrington, two over will look a good score as the evening wears on, but four over won't put Phil out of it."
Steve Stricker for birdie at the first and that's right in the middle from 20 feet. England's Paul Casey is playing with Stricker and Garcia and he kicks off with a par. Co-leader Craig Barlow finds the guts of the green at the par-three seventh. Poulter, playing out of a poorly-raked patch of sand, finds the white stuff for the third time at 18.
Fears already that these greens will get faster as the day goes on - as it stands it's like trying to stop a ball on tarmac. Apologies to Banbury's Gary Boyd - this is actually his first full season on the European Tour, and he's off to a solid start, pars at his first three holes. Bunker to bunker for Poults at 18, Garcia of Spain with an uphill putt at the first but he hasn't hit, that's a par...
Poults with the big stick on 18... he pushes it right and finds the white stuff. Former world number one David Duval, who came close to winning this last year, leaves his birdie putt low at the first. Lovely birdie putt from Toms at 16, a 15-foot curler from right to left and he's back to level. Barnes tugs his par putt left at the eighth, his purple patch comes to an end and he falls back to one over.
Harrington finishes with a 10-foot birdie at nine and he's in with a very respectable 73. Ogilvy finished with a 70 by the way, Camilo Villegas of Colombia a 78. Here's Dufner with a 15-foot birdie putt for the outright lead at seven... it stays low. Poulter's birdie attempt at 17 slides by and he, too, stays one under. Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, winner of the Wales Open a fortnight ago, birdies the first.
Big slice of luck for Poulter at 17, and you need a bit on this course - his tee shot gets a bounce off the top of a greenside bunker and trickles onto the dancefloor. Mickelson's birdie attempt at the ninth stays up and he's in with a birdieless 75. He didn't look great today but at four over, he's very much still in it.
Just five men under par now, out of a possible 90. Barnes cards a par at the par-three seventh to stay level. American journeymen Jason Dufner and Craig Barlow are two of the men on one under, Dufner's just birdied six. In case you're wondering what that sound is, it's Dublin exploding with glee - Mexico have just gone 2-0 up against France...
KJ Choi's birdie putt at the last is afraid of the dark but he's in with a very solid, chunky looking round of 70. England's Ross McGowan is chugging away nicely - two birdies, four bogeys, two over after 14. I'm told conditions are pretty much perfect in northern California, which begs the question - how's scoring going to be if the gods get nasty?
Furyk three-putted the last, which is something of a choker, especially after I gave him the big raps. The former winner in with a 72. England's Gary Boyd, a qualifier from Banbury who plays his golf on the Challenge Tour, has parred the 10th, his first. Here's Weir with a snaking left-to-right par putt at 18 but it's stays high and he drops back to -1 and into a share of the clubhouse lead. Harrington's birdie effort at 17 dies away and he stays three over.
The methodical Furyk with his second into the par-four ninth, his 18th hole, and it's a decent effort into the back of the green. He's very much a man who likes to persuade his ball around a course rather than give it a damn good thrashing, and for that reason he could feature. Harrington gives himself a good birdie chance with his approach at eight, but it's more bad news for Mickelson, who's suddenly adopted the touch of a panel-beater. EAGLE! Ricky Barnes bends in a 25-footer at six, he's on the march - birdie, birdie, eagle, the American now level.
Not a cloud in the sky as David Toms splashes out with his fourth at the par-five 14th. Weir with his second out of the rough at 18 and that's a bona fide shank, right back into the cabbage. Former Masters champion Johnson slides his par putt just wide at 18 and he's in with a one-over 72.
Weir on tee at the terrifying looking 18th - scared of the drink and he's hooked it into the rough out right. The rhythmical Choi launches a perfect drive over the watery dogleg and onto the middle of the fairway.
Poulter with a long one for par at the nasty par-five 14th and it misses just left - the Englishman is now one under. Mike Weir's stint at three under is a short one - his lengthy par putt at 17 comes up a smidgeon short and he's back at two under. South Africa's Tim Clark curls in a 10-foot birdie putt at 17, he's right in it at one over.
American Toms lets one slip at the par-four 13th to drop back to one under. Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and England's Lee Westwood tee off in about an hour but here's Harrington at the par-five sixth, sliding in a birdie to rise to +3. Mickelson looks like he's putting with a length of four-by-two - very makeable birdie putt at six but it's gone begging.
Smashing touch from Donald, plopping out of a green-side bunker at the eighth, his 17th. Zach Johnson with a 12-footer for birdie at eight, but he leaves it a couple of inches to the right to stay level. Kjelden's long par putt at 17 is close, but no cigar, and he's now one over. Ricky Barnes, who featured heavily last year, rolls in a 10-footer for a second straight birdie at five - he's now two over.
Here's Kjeldsen at the par-three 7th and he's pushed his tee shot to the right of the green. Deane Pappas of South Africa is in with a 10-over 81, one worse than playing partner Paul Sheehan of Australia. Mickelson's having something of a shocker at the moment, more rough with his second at six. "The 'navigators' beating the 'bombers' at the moment," says kwiniaskagolfer on 606
, and his words are wise ones.
Mike Weir, who nearly holed his bunker escape at 15, has just snatched the outright lead with a chip in at 16. A leftie leading, just not the Leftie some of us thought it might be. Craig Barlow of the United States makes it six men under par with a birdie at the first. Sweden's Robert Karlsson, who was two under after four, has dropped three shots between nine and 13 and dropped back to two over.
Poulter into a share of the lead at two under courtesy of a cute, curled putt from just off the green. Here's unheralded Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello and he's in with a one-under-par 70, not bad for a man who's never seen Pebble Beach. Luke Donald rams in a monster par putt at the par-five fifth to stay one over.
Australia's Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open champion, is having a rough time of it - eight over after 14, he's got eight bogeys and a double-bogey on his card. Lucas Glover, the defending champion, makes a six-footer disappear for birdie on 13, he's back to two over and very much at the heart of the bunfight. Justin Leonard, who has a surprisingly ordinary record at this tournament, is grinding out a solid round... apologies Justin, he's just made bogey at 14 to drop back to two over.
News of Luke Donald of England, who's currently in a decent vein of form - he made a double on two but has steadied the ship to remain one over after 14. Compatriot Simon Khan is three over through 16, solid enough on this layout.
KJ Choi very nearly sinks his birdie attempt at 15 but his ball has a look before skipping by the hole. Kjelden's round coming apart, he's back to level after a second successive bogey at 15. Shot gone for Choi, he misses with his par putt coming back and drops back into a three-way tie for the lead. Those looking for birdies on tap, maybe you want to dig out your Xbox...
KJ Choi with his second at 15 and it's all over the flag once again. That said, he's got a filthy fast downhiller for birdie. Poults with a sweet little bunker escape at 13, he should make par. Zach Johnson with his second at the par-five sixth, and what an intimidating shot in this is - blind, uphill and with the ocean off to the right. He's on though.
Plenty of players being made to look foolish by this beguiling yet cruel golf course - Australia's Paul Sheehan and Deane Pappas of South Africa are propping up the leaderboard, both nine over after 16. Harrington makes his eight-foot par putt disappear at four, the Irishman stays +4. James Morrison, a qualifier who will be a mystery to most of his fellow Englishmen, is six over through 16, six bogeys on his card.
Nice little four-footer for Choi on 14, he's taking this course by the jaffers after receiving a few early blows. Poulter squeezes his birdie putt to the right on 11 and stays one under. We've got a rules dude paying particular notice to Mickelson and Harrington's threesome at the moment, some suspicion that the American did a McIlroy and kicked the sand. Whatever, that's definitely another one gone for the world number two, he's now four over.
Mickelson in more strife on the par-four fourth - out of the sand and back in again. It's more of a beach than a bunker. Deary me, Padraig Harrington's done pretty much exactly the same. David Toms' birdie putt at 10 curves just wide and he stays two under. But Mike Weir's stringing some pearls together - birdies now at 12, 13 and 14 and he's in a share of the lead at two under. Scratch that - new outright leader, KJ Choi birdies the par-five 14th and is now three under.
LBO8021991 on 606:
"Poulter looking good so far. Nice par save at 9 for -1. I wonder if he's worth a bet. You never know which Poulter will show up"
Former two-time champion Retief Goosen is three over through 13 but he finds the heart of the green at the par-three fifth. Here's my first sighting of Ian Poulter at 11 and he's all over the pin with his second, terrific shot. Former Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada has picked up birdies at 12 and 13 and is one under.
Fujita of Japan raps in a lengthy birdie putt at 14 to get back to level par. Italy's Edoardo Molinari has let a couple got at the par-five 14th, he's back to level. Denmark's Kjeldsen has let another shot go at 14, he's back to one under par. Crackerjack approach by Taniguchi at 15, he'll have a tap-in to get to level.
Pebble Beach looks a doozy, but it's a brutal mistress - 78 players out and about now and only eight of them under par. Furyk leaves his birdie putt low at 4 but taps in for par to stay level. Here's Mickelson on the third - Yang misses with his birdie putt but gives the American a good read - and the world number two slides his effort left to stay +3.
Evening all and many thanks Scriv. Ben Dirs in the cockpit now, manually refresh to, erm, refresh the page. Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen makes par at 12 and 13 to remain in a share of the lead on two under. Korea's KJ Choi makes birdie at 13 to join him. He's on some streak after kicking off with bogey, double-bogey - five birdies now in his last 10 holes.
Donald inexcusably finds the hazard on the fourth, his 13th, after taking an iron for safety off the tee. His third shot finds the green, but he has a 10-footer for par - my time here is at an end for now, thanks for your company. I'll be back for the start of round two tomorrow afternoon. Ben Dirs will be taking you through the night...
PhilH in Edinburgh via text:
"Mickelson in the ocean and bunkers and missing short putts. I knew he shouldn't have taken the new Adidas ball. Sounds like it is uncontrollable!"
Beautiful pictures of the ninth which follows the sweeping Pacific coastiline round to the right off the tee. It's a nightmare of a tee shot - which ones aren't on this course? The fairway falls away towards the sea and the hazard line is only a couple of feet off the edge of the fairway. Karlsson smashes one up the middle but the dangers are there for all to see - his ball kicks right and keeps rolling towards the hazard, until a small collar of rough halts its progress. Lucky boy.
Poulter, wearing pink for those interested in his attire, finishes off his front nine with an excellent up and down to remain at one under par. A very solid start from him.
Oooopps...spoke too soon. Karlsson, who birdied the seventh, hits one of those chips that we've all hit. He doesn't give it quite enough to get up the hill from the front of the eighth green and it rolls three-quarters of the way back to him. A couple of blows with the flat stick later and he's back at one under par.
What's going on with this leaderboard? It's a Eurofest. Denmark's Kjeldsen, Italy's Molinari, Sweden's Robert Karlsson sitting pretty at the top on two under par.
The crowd's reaction suggests Mickelson's iron off first the tee is finding the middle of the fairway. His reaction suggests it isn't - who would you believe? He manages to hit the green from the fairway bunker, but he's left himself a huge putt for birdie.
Kjeldsen bogeys 11 to join Ed Molinari, who drains a 12-footer for par, on two under, while Donald drops his first shots of the day on his 11th hole (the second). He misses a 10-foot putt for par and then the three-footer coming back to drop to one over par.
Mickelson's woes continue. His 20-foot par putt on 18 slides by and that's a third bogey in three holes for the world number two. Survival is key for Lefty as he moves to the front nine on three over par.
Leader Soren Kjeldsen playing in the rough on the par-four 11th - from fairway to greenside in one swipe - will do well to get up and down for par.
English duo Poulter and Donald moving in the right direction though. Poulter birdies six to go to one under and then finds the heart of the green on the short seventh and lags his 30-foot putt to tap-in distance. Donald stops his run of pars with a birdie on the first, his 10th.
Bit more bother for Mickelson who drops another shot at the par-three 17th and then, with trees in front of him on the 18th, sends one out over the ocean, hoping to draw it back in - he fails and his ball smashes into a rock and bounds into the Pacific Ocean.
Tigeriffic via text:
"Yes this could be Phil's year (see 1650) but saying he has nothing to fear in Tiger Woods made me laugh, 14 majors? a wee birdie told me he likes this course winning here by 10 shots before? Form is temporary, class is permanent!"
First glimpses of the course. Our leader, Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen has his yardage booklet out and it's fairly flapping in the breeze that has helped shift the morning fog - or "marine layer" as it's known in the States.
Not such good news for Phil Mickelson who has dropped his first shot of the day on the par-four 16th. Padraig Harrington also dropped a shot there to join Lefty on one over par.
Luke Donald has reached the turn in level par. Nine consecutive pars for the Englishman. Nice.
I'm two minutes away from seeing this course in glorious colour, via the little TV I handily have next to the computer screen. Just time to tell you about Deane Pappas. The South African hit the first ball of the tournament and parred the first two holes. All gone a bit wrong since then though - he's currently bottom of the pile on seven over after 10.
Half of the 156-strong field is out on the course. Soren Kjeldsen still leads the way for Denmark - he's parred seven and eight after a run of three birdies in four holes. Italy's Edoardo Molinari is another European making an early surge and is two under at the turn.
kwiniaskagolfer on 606:
"Two short birdie putts missed by Phil on 14 and 15. He needs to stay patient, sure he will!"
Bobby in London via text:
"Sadly Machrahanish (see 1710) also has the most disappointing last two in the world, completely juxtaposed against the rest of that marvellous track. And take away the views and Pebble as a golf course is no better than many munis (which it in fact effectively is if you have $495 to spare)."
Australia's Steve Allan has recorded the highest score of the day so far - a triple bogey eight at the par five 18th, his ninth hole. Never nice for the pro, but as a high-handicapper am I alone in enjoying seeing them reduced to mere mortals every once in a while?
We all know that it's the 40th anniversary of Tony Jacklin's famous seven-shot victory at Hazeltine. He was the last Englishman, Brit or European to win the US Open and you have to go back a staggering 85 years to find anybody else from these shores to win it. Scotland's Willie Macfarlane beat the legendary Bobby Jones (he of 13 major victories) in an 18-hole play-off in 1925. Why am I telling you this? Well Kjeldsen has only gone and birdied the par five sixth to go to three under. Is it too early to start getting carried away about a European win?
Neil in London via text:
"The greatest opening hole in the world has to be Macrahanish on the Mull of Kintyre. A very brave carry over the beach and Atlantic or a very long slog round the chicken's way."
Quick progress report on some of the homegrown talent: Donald is level after five, Poults has parred his first hole, as has fellow Englishman Ross McGowan. James Morrison and Simon Khan are one over having played seven and six holes respectively. With the two-tee start in operation, prepare yourself for a long evening. The second bunch of players, which include eight more Englishmen, Welshman Rhys Davies and three from Northern Ireland, including world number 10 Rory McIlroy tee off from 2030 BST.
Finland's Ilonen has dropped back to level, but Soren Kjeldsen gives good reason to give that European up arrow another airing - the Dane drains putts from 35 feet and 12 feet to move into a share the lead on two under par with Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello
Defending champion Lucas Glover
is off to a shaky start - the American, who won at Bethpage by two shots with a four-under par total last year, has bogeyed his opening hole. He is playing, in US Open tradition, with last year's Open Championship winner Stewart Cink,
who is in for par.
kwiniaskagolfer on 606:
"This is Phil's year, he's finished ahead of Tiger in each of the past six events they've both been in the field and has nothing to fear."
Our early trio of Woodland, Pappas and Sheehan are approaching the seventh. It's the shortest hole in major championship golf at 109 yards, but is devilishly difficult. Bunkers front and out of sight over the back of the green, are the least of your worries if the wind is blowing. A mere flick with a sand wedge in benign conditions can turn into a five or six iron if the wind starts to blow in off the sea.
RaymL via text:
"Everyone has been saying it's either the best or it's no way near the best in the world. Two extremes in views. Having played it it's an excellent course, great views and history. What more do people want? Holes 4-10 take your breath away. Very few courses can live with that. Let's get away from this false 'best' course in the world debate and just marvel at it and enjoy it!"
Lot of talk about the course at Pebble Beach - is it the best in the world or not? Of course, that's a hugely debateable point. In terms of views, it certainly takes some beating as a
picture of the tee on the par three seventh,
taken by BBC Sport's Iain Carter, shows.
Mickelson off to a solid start with a par four at his opening hole, the 10th. Harrington is also in for four.
If I could ask you to give this page a cheeky refresh, a link to the leaderboard, now there's a few names on it, will appear above. Ta.
An hour into the US Open and a couple of Englishmen out on the course - Donald
are both level par after a couple of holes. Khan, who won the European Tour's flagship event, the PGA Championship at Wentworth last month, only sneaked in at the
last minute, thanks to compatriot Justin Rose missing out.
Lefty 26 on 606:
"Westwood to start solidly before easing away from the field on Friday afternoon, and hanging on for Major number one on Sunday"
It's not all about the Americans though. For the first time ever England goes into a major with four players in the top ten. Step up Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey
who are third, sixth, eighth and ninth respectively. Westwood is undoubtedly the form player in the majors with two thirds and a second in the last three tournaments - will he go one better at Pebble Beach?
Topics of debate up for discussion? How about will Mickelson take over from Woods as world number one on Sunday for starters? Woods has led the rankings for all but a handful of weeks over the last decade, but Mickelson can take over top spot. Here's what he has to do (deep breath): A second-place finish on his own would be enough if Woods finishes outside the top four. Should Woods make the cut but finish outside the top 18, Mickelson would need to finish no worse than third on his own, and if Woods misses the cut, his fellow American would need to finish no worse than a two-way tie for third to lead the rankings. Got all that? Good.
Right, I've got more than two hours to fill before I get live pictures from California. I need your help to get through this. To get involved use
or text via 81111
(UK) or +44 7786200666
(worldwide) with GOLF before your message. I can't promise to use all messages, but with the current lack of TV coverage, there's a fair chance yours will get aired.
An early excuse for a bit of use of the good news for Europe flag as Finland's Mikko Ilonen
birdies his first hole, the 10th, to take a very early share of the lead! Could be a long day for Paul Sheehan though who doubles the first.
I wonder what world number two Phil Mickelson
got for his 40th birthday yesterday - bet it wasn't the obligatory umbrella, golf shoe cleaning tools or dozen golf balls that I tend to get. The Masters champion gets his round underway on the 10th at 1606 BST, alongside Ireland's Padraig Harrington
. The pair have won seven majors between them, but never the US Open.
Among the early starters are England's Simon Khan
, who is in the third group beginning their opening round on the 10th and tees off in about three minutes. Compatriot Luke Donald
is in the following group while 2007 US Open champion Angel Cabrera
is in the trio after that.
doesn't tee off until just after 2130 BST and has England's number one and world number three Lee Westwood
and South Africa's Ernie Els
for company over the first two rounds. There's a full list of tee-times
Hello all and a warm welcome to what promises to be a superb weekend of golf as the second major of the year gets underway on the Californian coast. Gary Woodland of the United States, South Africa's Deane Pappas and Australia's Paul Sheehan are in the first group to tee off, which they should be doing right about er...now.
The US Open's last visit to Pebble Beach was 10 years ago. Back then Tiger Woods blew the field away. He won by a record 15 shots and was the only player to score under par for the tournament. Easy pickings then for the world number one?