• US Open

Donald hoping to build on fast start

Luke Donald is looking forward to capitalising on a strong start at the US Open when he returns to complete his first round on Friday morning.

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Donald currently sits top of the leaderboard at Merion, after reaching four-under par with a birdie at the par-three 13th - just moments before play was suspended for the day late on Thursday.

The former world No. 1 currently sits one shot ahead of Phil Mickelson - although the American has already completed all 18 holes of his first round.

While aware that he still has some of the East Course's toughest challenges still to come, Donald is hopeful of building on such a positive start.

"I'm excited to get off to a great start," Donald said. "I made a great putt on one, another good birdie on three, and then just played the holes like they should be played.

"I feel like I'm in pretty good control of my game, and it's nice to get off to such a good start."

He added: "Obviously the weather conditions are making the course a lot softer, and you can attack the pins a little bit more. So it's playing as gentle as it might play so far, and obviously this afternoon not much wind.

"If you were going to make a score, today was a good day. I've obviously got five holes left and five pretty tough ones to finish, but really happy with the way I started my round."

Donald was one of a number of big names to start well on Thursday, with Adam Scott, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy all among a small number of players under par.

Tiger Woods was not one of them, however; the 14-time major champion enduring a difficult afternoon as he slipped to two-over par.

The American seemed to be struggling with pain in his wrist, but made no mention of that as he left the course.

"I've got a lot of holes to play tomorrow," Woods told reporters. " And hopefully I can play a little better than I did today."

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