Duval off to a flier

David Duval today began the US Open – his first tournament since last November - in terrific style with a birdie.

After a slump from top of the world rankings and Open champion three years ago Duval had turned his back on the sport after coming to the conclusion that he was happier without it.

But he decided last Saturday he would play at Shinnecock Hills and with a big crowd giving him a warm welcome the 32-year-old American began with a dream three on the 393-yard first.

After a pat on the back from Ryder Cup team-mate Scott Hoch, a shake of the hands with Welshman Phillip Price and a wipe down with a towel, Duval stepped forward and hit a glorious three wood, pitched to seven feet and made the putt.

He had admitted to being “in and out of tears” with emotion since the weekend and nervous and even “scared in a sense” as he waits to discover whether the sport which made him famous and hugely rich can also give him fun again.

That, he said, was all he asked of this week.

His start might have given him a share of the lead, but seconds earlier Jeff Maggert had had his second birdie of the foggy morning at the 13th – his fourth - to go to two under.

Maggert was in the first group off with England’s Brian Davis and he made an eight-foot putt on the short 11th with conditions as calm as they were likely to be at any stage all week.

Davis flew the green with his pitch to the 10th, saved par with a chip to five feet, but bogeyed the 13th.

Price, meanwhile, opened with a par four, while Lee Westwood paid for driving into the left rough at the 10th with a bogey five.

Leaderboard:

4 under - Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) (18)

Jay Haas (18)

Angel Cabrera (9)

3 under - Fred Funk (14)

2 under - Kris Cox (18)

Ben Curtis (18)

Skip Kendall (18)

Kevin Stadler (18)

Jeff Maggert (18)

Jeff Maggert (18)

David Roesch (18)