By MARK CANNIZZARO
Last updated: 8:31 pm
June 27, 2008
Posted: 3:31 am
June 13, 2008
SAN DIEGO - Thousands swelled around the first tee at Torrey Pines yesterday morning breathlessly anticipating the 8:06 (Pacific) tee time like they were awaiting the heavyweight fight of the century.
At 8:01 Phil Mickelson emerged from the quiet of the practice green to the packed theater surrounding the first tee, and the fans went wild for their local hero, screaming, "Let's go, Phil." Then, when he went to the announcer's podium to get a tee sheet, they playfully yelled, "Speech."
A couple minutes later, right after Adam Scott entered the teeing area to polite applause, Tiger Woods appeared and the roar grew loud again.
Woods, stone-faced, shook Mickelson's hand and then had a much more friendly hand-slap and smile exchange with Scott.
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That was the start to the most-anticipated early-round pairing in major championship history, thus unofficially beginning this 108th U.S. Open.
But none of the top three players in the world held the lead after the first round. That honor went to lightly regarded Justin Hicks and Kevin Streelman who shot 3-under-par 68s.
After five hours of up-and-down golf, there were some statements made.
The most notable statement came from Woods, who yesterday completed his first full 18-hole round of golf since his left knee surgery two months ago.
Woods finished with a 1-over-par 72, but he survived a double-bogey first hole on which he drove the ball left, punched out to the fairway and then air- mailed a wedge over the green. It was Woods' first double bogey of the year.
Mickelson was the winner of the group, carding an even-par 71, thanks to four birdies on the back nine after a dodgy front that included bogeys on Nos. 5-7.
Both he and Woods fought hard to stay well within reach of the lead.
