• US Open, Round One, Plays of the Day

Mickelson bursts the bubble

Phil Mickelson had an interesting time of things in his opening round © Getty Images

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• Gallery: US Open, Round One

ESPN will be providing live commentary during all four days of the US Open from Congressional CC - along with all the news, views and opinion when it gets underway on Thursday

A near-perfect start
World No. 1, starting on the 10th tee - a brutal par three. What sort of pressure is that? Too much for many, but not for Luke Donald who lazered a long iron to five feet and with a slightly more forward bounce he could have been celebrating a hole in one. Sadly for Luke, he peaked early as he signed for a three-over.

All friends together
Good players tend to hit the ball in the same sort of area, but Louis Oosthuizen and Graeme McDowell went a bit far. They both creamed tee shots that landed next to each other and if it was snooker the referee would be calling 'touching ball'. Quizzical looks were exchanged before McDowell marked his ball. I've never seen it before.

Bursting the bubble
Phil Mickelson strode on to the 10th tee, his first, like a conquering hero. With no Tiger Woods, well even with Tiger, he is the man the Americans want to win more than anyone else and the atmosphere ramped up as Lefty strode down the steps. Pumped up, he pulled out a club less than his playing partners and promptly dumped the ball in the water at the front of the green. It really was eerie to witness a massed gallery go from party mood to having the life ripped out of them in a matter of seconds.

A deep hole
Rickie Fowler, clearly buoyed by his dancing queen skills, approached a monster 40-foot putt on the third with a spring in his step. He gave it a bit of muscle as well as it raced up the hill and in all probability would have raced through the back - had it not rattled into the back of the cup, jumped in the air, balanced on the lip before toppling in.

Robert Rock had every right to look a little sleepy © Getty Images

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What not to do
Dustin Johnson is one of the biggest hitters on tour, but it counts for nothing if you fail to keep the ball out of the water. One mistake is forgivable, but to find the drink twice on the same hole is baffling. It wasn't like he played the same shot. His tee shot found water on the right of the fairway on 11 and after dropping out, he went in search of the green. All he found was more water and it cost him a triple-bogey.

Rock solid
Robert Rock will have a story to tell his grandkids about his US Open appearance. Having secured qualification he applied for his visa, but he was informed that it might not arrive in time. A nervous wait by the telephone at home paid off as the green light was given for Rock to make the trip to America. His flight arrived at New York late on Wednesday night, leading to a $1,000 taxi ride to Bethesda that arrived at 3am. A few hours' sleep and no practice round is not the textbook preparation, but it did not faze the Brit as he played with assured confidence.

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