Oakmont (USA): Oakmont bared its fangs and Jeev Milkha Singh had to settle for a card of five-over 75 to be tied 77th after the opening round of the US Open golf in Oakmont.
Nick Dougherty's two-under 68 was enough to fetch him the opening round lead on a punishing course, which the Englishman described as "barbaric".
Jeev, however, can take solace from the fact that only two players - Dougherty and Argentine Angel Cabrera (69) - broke par, while 28 players in the 156-man field did not make a single birdie.
The Indian, at least, had a birdie as against six bogeys in his round and is currently seven shots behind the leader and the cut is applied at top-60 and ties or 10 off the lead.
Jeev has made the cut at both his previous US Open appearances in 2002 and 2006 and also played all four rounds at the Masters this year.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods also felt the sting of the Oakmont Country Club and carded a fighting one-over 71 to be tied fifth with 15 others.
A bogey quartet on his back nine marred Jeev's round and the 35-year-old, who earlier this year led the Masters after nine holes on first day, admitted the course was demanding.
"I got to play a good practice round, but even then this course is something that you need to be very precise about. The greens were tough and if you miss the fairways and go to the wrong side, you have had it and it proves costly," said Jeev.
"Putting is the key, and of course you have to hit right. The greens are demanding, sloping and very fast," he added.
A 10th tee starter, Jeev began with a bogey. He dropped another shot on the 16th but offset it with a birdie on 17th, his lone of the day. Turned at one-over, it looked reasonable.
But his second nine spelt trouble. Jeev dropped a shot on the first and parred the next three holes before misfortune struck him in the form of a bogey-hat-trick which eventually dropped him to five-over.
Despite the half-inch rain on Wednesday evening, the Oakmont layout stretching over 7,230 yards for a par of 70, stayed tough.
Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy played with Woods and both shot 71, as did Vijay Singh, Justin Rose and 12 others.
South African Ernie Els, winner of the last US Open held at Oakmont in 1994, posted a three-over 73. Phil Mickelson shot 74.
South Korean K J Choi, winner of the Memorial tournament two weeks ago, was a further shot back on 77, also making double bogey at the 12th. Sergio Garcia's day was even worse with the Spaniard struggling to a nine-over 79.
Dougherty was one-over through nine holes, his birdie at six followed by bogeys at seven and eight. But he bounced back with birdies on the 11th, 13th and 17th and parred the 18th hole to complete his round.
With Dougherty leading the field, it gave rise to a lot of expectations among the Europeans, who have not won a Major since Paul Lawrie triumphed at the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie. The last British player to win the US Open was Tony Jacklin in 1970 at Hazeltine.
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