Tom Watson played in his first PGA Tour event at Olympia Fields in 1968 as an 18-year-old amateur. Thirty-five years later, he shot 5-under 65 to tie for the first-round lead in the U.S. Open at age 53.
Brett Quigley never has made a cut in a U.S. Open and never shot better than 71. On Thursday, he shot 65.
Colin Montogmerie was a surprise name on the leaderboard most of the day and settled for 69.
Bogeys
All things considered, Tiger Woods' 70 was disappointing. On a day made for scoring, Woods took 33 putts.
David Duval beat just five players, including a 16-year-old high school student, Tom Glissmeyer, who shot 80. Duval had 78.
Masters champion Mike Weir finished the front nine with back-to-back double bogeys, then bogeyed the 18th for 73.
Quote
"I'm hitting the ball well enough, it's just a matter of being able to deal with the pressure of the national open. Whether I can do that or not, I don't know, but I'm prepared to give it enough." - Tom Watson on his chances of winning the U.S. Open.
Divots
Long lines: Thousands of spectators at the U.S. Open arrive by train, as there is an Olympia Fields stop 150 yards from the first tee. But it created nightmares during the opening round, as the entrance also is where busses and some parking patrons enter the course. Some spectators waited almost 45 minutes to get through security at the gate. To add insult to injury: Anyone who had a cell phone was told to return it to the car or had to pay $5 to have it stored for the day.
Getting away: Phil Mickelson wanted no part of the U.S. Open scene the day before it started, so the best player to never win a major headed an hour north Wednesday to Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, site of three of the first 15 U.S. Opens. Chicago Golf Club is one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association and Mickelson got in practice with his coach, Rick Smith, tour player Rocco Mediate and a Chicago Golf Club member. "I try to avoid the surroundings at the Open," Mickelson said. "I try to get my practice rounds in before people get here."
Stat of the day
Fred Couples' 70 included six birdies, six pars and six bogeys.
Hole of the day
No. 7: Par 3, 212 yards
Tom Watson's dance was better than his approach, but it all worked out. After leaving himself a 45-foot birdie putt on what was his 16th hole, Watson knocked it toward the cup and watched as it rolled precariously close to the lip, hanging on the edge. As he walked toward the ball, it unexpectedly dropped in for birdie and a stunned Watson jumped for joy. That birdie brought Watson within one shot of the lead, and when he made another at the eighth hole, he was tied. "I knew it was hanging on the lip, and it was going downhill. Why didn't it go in?" Watson said. "All of a sudden, hey, it went in."
