Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell maintained his excellent run of form by taking a share of the lead on a stormy first day at The Open Championship.
Gusts of more than 30mph combined with the driving rain to wreak havoc on the early starters at Royal Birkdale, but McDowell, who won The Barclays Scottish Open last week, made the most of his 12.36pm start by shooting a one under par round of 69 in calmer conditions.
It gives him a share of the lead with America’s Rocco Mediate and Australia’s Robert Allenby, but early in their respective rounds such low scores did not seem likely for any of them. Having birdied the first five holes, a McDowell bogey on the long 499 yard sixth hole placed him a couple of shots off the pace.
However, following a run of ten pars he closed with two birdies to put himself in a similar position to The Open in 2006 when he led after the first round.
"I felt a bit like a rabbit in the headlights then," McDowell said, recalling his fall from first to 61st. "I didn't have a whole lot of belief in myself but I certainly feel a different player.
"I sat having my breakfast today thinking 'do I have to have to go out in this?' but I got lucky.
"Obviously it's very important to come down from the elation of Sunday and move on but I had the biggest tournament on the planet to get ready for."
To judge from Mediate’s early showing, he was less than ready. He was three over par through five after bogeys on the first, third and fifth, but then started a superb recovery. Birdies came on the eighth and 13th to steady his ship before he closed with birdies on the 17th and 18th to sneak into the red.
It was an equally fine comeback that got Allenby back in the frame. He was three under through seven – he took bogeys on the first, sixth and seventh – but he surged through the back nine in 32 to stake his claim.
For a while it seemed as though World Number Four Adam Scott would claim at least a share of the lead. He was the first to go as low as two under par when he birdied the sixth and 15th, but back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th stalled his plans and left the Australian in a tie for fourth on level par.
The shock of the day came from Greg Norman. The 53 year old, who has won The Open twice but not since it was held at Royal St George’s Golf Club in 1993, is in a tie for fourth with Scott and America’s Bart Bryant on level par after two birdies and two bogeys.
Norman said: "I have to keep my expectations realistically low. People say it's like riding a bike but even doing that after a while you're a little wobbly.
"If I give myself a chance at the end of the tournament, then you start thinking about it. But you don't on a Thursday afternoon."
Norman praised the course and admitted he and the other later starters had enjoyed by far the best of the conditions.
"I think it's the best Open I've ever played in. The course has been set up the fairest and toughest I've ever seen. It's very balanced and gives the opportunity to someone like me to get a good score on the board.
"These conditions are an equaliser. Maybe some of these young players have not experienced it before.
"When somebody asked me the toughest conditions I'd played in and said Turnberry 1986. Some of these kids might not have been born then.
"We got the better side of the draw, no question. You watch it and feel sorry for the guys but I've been there too."
Retief Goosen, out with the early starters, carded a superb round of one over par.
The South African, whose CV includes two US Open titles, was seemingly struggling when he capped four straight pars with a double bogey on the fifth, but he picked up birdies at the ninth, 12th and 14th to get back on track.
Bogies at the 15th and 16th brought him back to one over, before a birdie-bogey finish saw him complete a round of 71.
"I've played in conditions like this before in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews. It was tough, especially on a course like this, a real battle out there," he said.
"I made a couple of good par saves, chipped in for par on the sixth after a double bogey and that really kept the round together."
Goosen was joined in the clubhouse on 71 by former Masters Tournament Champion Mike Weir, who shot the first eagle of the day when he holed from 15 feet on the 17th.
Elsewhere, Korea’s K J Choi, England’s Ian Poulter and Spain’s Sergio Garcia fired rounds of 72, while Colin Montgomerie shot 73 as did David Duval, who won this championship in 2001.
Goosen’s playing partner and defending champion Padraig Harrington also defied shaky preparations to post a solid score of 74.
After putting his chances of making it through the event at only 50-50 late on Wednesday Harrington now reckons it is "95%", adding: "I would have to do something to it not to complete."
Even with painkillers and anti-inflammatories he admitted he was nervous on the first tee, particularly after "three or four" shots on the driving range reminded him he had a problem.
He said. "I enjoyed the battle, but three more rounds like that we would all be physically and mentally exhausted."
There were two occasions during the round when he opted for caution out of the rough for fear of doing damage to his wrist, but neither time did it cost him any shots.
"When it didn't hurt I relaxed and after seven or eight holes I wasn't thinking about it at all.
"The tough weather helped. I only focused on the next shot and keeping the grips dry. There was little time to get distracted."
Former Champion Ernie Els carded a ten over par 80. The South African, who won at Muirfield in 2002 in similar wet and windy weather, went to the turn in just one over after a succession of pars were interrupted by a solitary bogey at the par-four sixth.
However, he dropped shots at the tenth and 12th before finishing with two double bogeys in his last five holes.
World Number Two Phil Mickelson shot a 79.
