US Open: Rain rules the roost on day one; Mickelson in the lead

The clouds opened up repeatedly over Philadelphia to leave the 113^th US Open sodden in misery at the end of a damp Thursday. Organisers were left scrambling for a pill to cure the scheduling headache that stared at them after only a handful of golfers managed to complete their first round. The second major of the year was back at the 101 year old Merion Club after more than 30 years, but wet weather dampened the excitement quickly. Both spectators and golfers were left dealing with the soggy mess that replaced their anticipation and exuberance at a chance of thriving on a course where luminaries such as Lee Trevino and Ben Hogan left their mark.

At the end of the day, when play was suspended for darkness around 0830pm local time, the only comfort was the presence of a familiar man at the top of the incomplete score board. The left handed Phil Mickelson made light of his lightning trip to San Deigo to arrive early and take the first round lead with a serene 67 amidst the storm. Luke Donald, one of those perennially missing-a-trick-at-the-majors players, made a troika of birdies at 11^th, 12^th and 13^th to take a one stroke lead over Mickelson, but then Phil was already cooling himself in the clubhouse.

Mickelson’s effort was made all the more impressive by the fact that he flew more than 2,500 miles on an overnight trip to Southern California to be by his daughter during her 8^th grade graduation. In stark contrast, Tiger Woods was living a gloomy day, struggling to two over through ten holes. Even though Woods had the choice of completing his play at eleven, he decided to deal with the par putt on Friday. In fact, there was an injury scare when Tiger seemed to hurt his left wrist whilst playing out of the rough after the first tee shot.

With incessant rains forcing a delay, the marquee group of Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott, the Masters Champion, could not begin their rounds till after 0500pm. McIlroy was at 1 under and Scott was at 3 under after eleven holes. Alistair Presnell and Mathew Goggin were in a three way tie alongside defending champion Webb Simpson. The group was back in the clubhouse with a 68 in their pockets.

Unlike other events, the Merion is famous among other things for the wicker baskets that mark the pin and one of those atop the pole at the 12^th hole cost Lee Westwood a share of the lead. The Englishman struck straight at one of those egg shaped wicker baskets attached to the steel pole at the par-4 hole with his third shot. Unfortunately for him, the ball ricocheted back onto the fairway, leaving him with a double bogey on his card.

Golf need not worry about fan involvement, at least not for now. For the third straight major, a viewer reported rule violations leading to an investigation by the rules committee of the event. The first of two incidents involved Steve Stricker at the 11^th hole (his third in the round). Stricker’s shot ended under a tree, from where he would have been forced to take the shot from a bunker next to it.

Even as Stricker was narrowing his choice for the drop, a viewer called in to question if he was improving his lie. Officials agreed that was not the case when the incident was reviewed at the end of the round. Stricker went on to double bogey anyways and finished with a 71. The other incident involved Scott, when a viewer wanted officials to review if the Aussie had grounded his club.

The incident was reported whilst Scott was navigating through a hazard at the fifth hole. USGA executive director Mike Davis and chairman of the USGA competition committee Tom O’Toole reviewed the incident with Scott at the end of play and determined that there was no breach of rules. Reed Mackenzie, the walking official with the star group, agreed with the assessment.

Earlier this year, Woods was given a two shot penalty for taking an illegal drop at the 15^th hole of the second round in Augusta. Roll back to the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island last year – Carl Pettersson suffered a two stroke penalty when his errant club brushed a leaf while he was standing in a hazard at the first hole of the final round.

With many of the players unable to get through their first round, Friday is going to be a mad race against time for both the organisers and players to complete two rounds of golf. Luckily decent weather is forecast for Friday, before some more rough weather winds its way past Philadelphia this weekend. A Monday finish is not a very far-fetched scenario, given the soggy situation.