Afternoon is no delight at Oakmont

OAKMONT, PA. — No one was calling Oakmont Country Club "Old Softy," although the first morning of the 107th U.S. Open had to be described as almost forgiving.

Then, it quickly reverted back to forget-about-it.

A tournament-eve thunderstorm produced enough rain (four-tenths of an inch) to take some of the punch out of Oakmont's gloves and allowed \o7two\f7 red scores to infiltrate the first-day leaderboard Thursday.

Nick Dougherty, trying to become the first European to win the U.S. Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970, leads the field after his bangers-and-hash round of two-under-par 68.

The 25-year-old Brit holds a one-shot lead over Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who shot a 69.

Dougherty teed off at 7:33 local time; Cabrera at 8:28.

They were the only players to shoot under par.

Bubba Watson and Jose Maria Olazabal are two shots behind after shooting 70s. They both ordered sunrise room service.

"I think we had it as good as it could be," Dougherty confessed of conditions.

The top four scores, and 13 of the top 20, were fired on morning starts.

Dougherty was even through 12 holes before birdies on Nos. 13 and 17 pushed him to two under.

Tiger Woods, a two-time U.S. Open winner, and defending champion Geoff Ogilvy lead a gaggle of golfers three shots back at 71.

Phil Mickelson, playing despite an injured left wrist, flogged his way to a 74 as he fought a steel-cage death match against Oakmont's outer reaches.

Grimacing his way through 18 holes, Mickelson might have shot eight or 10 over if not for his deft short game and scrambling talents.

He hit only five of 14 fairways but proclaimed afterward he could win the tournament if he made only pars from here on out.

"I think I'm below the winning score," Mickelson said of his four-over standing.

And the wrist?

"I wouldn't say it's painful," he said. "But it's annoying, I would say."

Woods seeks his 13th major championship and was downright relieved to be only three shots behind Dougherty.

He saved his round when he made par at the 16th by rolling in an eight-foot putt, birdied the short 17th and then made an up-and-down par at the 18th from the rough.

"I could have lost three shots there," Woods said.

Woods, who missed the cut last year at Winged Foot in his first event after the death of his father, said Wednesday night's rain softened the course and made conditions ripe for low scores.