De Jonge going strong in US Open

First-round co-leader Brendon De Jonge jumped out into the outright lead today as the 110th US Open resumed in California.

Zimbabwean De Jonge had shared the overnight lead at two under par with England’s Paul Casey and American Shaun Micheel following an opening 69.

Micheel, the 2003 USPGA champion, was the first to show on a much cooler morning than the previous day on the Monterey Peninsula as he birdied his second, the par-four 11th, to reach three under.

World number nine Casey made a steady start with pars at his first four holes, only to card a triple-bogey eight at the 14th, which had been the most difficult hole on the course on Thursday.

As Casey struggled, De Jonge caught up to the American with a birdie at his third, the par-three 12th and kicked on with another at the 13th before both he and Micheel, playing separately, bogeyed 14.

The Harare man bounced back with birdied at 15 to move into a two-shot lead at four under, while Casey got back to level with a birdie at the same hole.

Also moving in the right direction was Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, who had started the day at level par but reached the turn at two under thanks to an eventful four-birdie, two-bogey opening nine holes from the 10th tee.

World number one Tiger Woods had heard US Open officials play down his criticism of their championship set-up, in which he had described the Pebble Beach greens last night as “bouncy” and “awful” following his opening, three-over-par 74.

Woods certainly seemed to get off to a brighter start on Friday, and playing alongside England’s Lee Westwood, also three over, and Ernie Els (two over), he started well with a birdie at the 11th.

He gave the shot back at the next hole with a bogey at the par-three 12th while Els birdied the 11th and 13th and world number three Westwood parred his first three holes.

Westwood hit trouble at the most difficult hole on the course, the par-five 14th, when he three-putted for bogey to fall back to three over, Els also bogeying to return to one over, while Woods birdied.

Then Westwood birdied the 15th to join Woods at two over, heading to the 16th.