• US Open, Round One

Casey and Poulter lead British challenge

Paul Casey grabbed a share of the lead with a well-taken birdie at the 18th hole © Getty Images

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Paul Casey made a great start to his US Open campaign as he finished the first day at two-under-par to grab a share of the lead at Pebble Beach.

The 2003 PGA Championship winner Shaun Micheel became the first man to break 70 as he holed a birdie putt on 18 to set the clubhouse lead, but Casey matched that as he also gained a shot at the last to round off an impressive opening day. South African Brendon de Jonge is also locked in a three-way tie for the lead.

Without a European winner at the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970, the title has become somewhat of an elusive prize for the continent's golfers, with Colin Montgomerie coming closest as a three-time runner-up. Casey showed plenty of reason to suggest that run might come to an end at this year's event though as he began the day with two birdies in his first five holes. Three dropped shots in the middle of the Englishman's round threatened to de-rail his early efforts but two further birdies in his closing three holes propelled Casey back to the summit.

"My putting was really good today and it was a case of not making mistakes - which I did well," a contented Casey told Sky Sports. "I actually went out with very low expectations because my ball striking hasn't been great and nor was it today but I kept the ball below the hole and saved myself a couple of times.

"I made a good part save at 12 and that proved key to the round but everything felt good and I'm ecstatic with 69."

Ian Poulter also showed his class as he rolled in birdies at three, six and 13. Bogeys at two and 14 pegged the Englishman back but an under-par round, preserved by a testing par putt at the last, in tough scoring conditions gave the world No. 8 plenty to be happy about.

"It would have been a bit of a banana skin to walk away with a bogey having stayed out of the water on 18 so it was good to walk away with a par," Poulter said. "It was a good day of golf for me and I am very happy to have played as well as I did.

"I love this golf course. It is just magnificent. I like the imagination of having to hit irons off the tee and I like how you have to think your way around."

KJ Choi and 2003 Masters winner Mike Weir join Poulter in a six-man group on one-under, while world No. 6 Luke Donald enjoyed a solid start to his campaign as he mixed two birdies with a double bogey to finish at level-par.

"I played some very steady golf but never felt like it was my best," Donald said. "I'm happy with level-par though because it wasn't easy out there."

Graeme McDowell and 2001 USPGA Champion David Toms joined Donald on the same score after an eventful day of scoring. The American carded five birdies, including three in his first five holes, but wiped all of his good work out with five dropped shots.

Ian Poulter looked in good form as he turned in a one-under-par first-round 70 © Getty Images

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Padraig Harrington endured a topsy-turvy first day. Having started out on the 10th, the three-time major champion was at one-under after a good start but five dropped shots in seven holes moved him to four-over. Harrington did bounce back with two birdies but cut a frustrated figure as he walked off the 18th green having turned in a two-over-par opening round of 73.

"The course is playing pretty simply really - so I'm disappointed with my efforts," Harrington said. "It was definitely a day to score well but it is the US Open and we are all a bit intimidated by it.

"In a regular tournament the scores would probably be better. It was a day when you felt like you could shoot a good score."

Tiger Woods looked capable of mounting a title challenge despite finishing at three-over after a first-round 74. The world No. 1 looked confident off the tee and played several good approach shots. Overall though, it was the putter that let the 14-time Major champion down as he made three three-putts.

Woods' playing partner Lee Westwood recovered a potentially disastrous round with three late birdies to finish on three-over. The St Jude Classic champion carded four birdies, five bogeys and one double bogey on a mixed day but showed enough form to suggest he could be a contender for the title come Sunday.

World No. 2 Phil Mickelson, playing alongside Harrington, began his assault on a first US Open title in poor fashion as he carded a four-over-par 75 - his worst opening round in the event for 13 years.

The Californian failed to make a single birdie for the first time in the US Open since 2007 as his recent woes with the putter continued to blight his fortunes. Three bogeys in his first nine holes put the 40-year-old up against it, and a further blip at four, his 13th hole of the day, completed a dismal day for the Masters champion.

"I made a couple of swings which may not have been great here and there and made a couple of bogeys, but to not make a birdie and not take advantage of any of those opportunities is what was so disappointing," Mickelson said. "The way I hit it I felt I should have shot under-par but I was terrible on the greens today, it was one of my worst days."

A double-bogey seven at the 14th was the low point of an up-and-down round for Rory McIlroy. The Ulsterman also carded three bogeys and a single birdie on a difficult day but with the leaders at two-under, an improved second-round display should see McIlroy safely through to the weekend.

Soren Kjeldsen sank three early birdies to become the early leader ahead of Italy's Edoardo Molinari as play got under way at Pebble Beach but four bogeys on his back nine dropped the Dane back to one-over-par. Molinari finished day one two shots back on four-over.

Hunter Mahan and Camilo Villegas both face a huge task to make it through to the weekend after they each stuttered to seven-over-par 78s.

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