PINEHURST, North Carolina, 17 June 2005 — Twice winner Tiger Woods battled to an even-par 70 as American qualifiers Olin Browne and Rocco Mediate set the early pace in the US Open first round yesterday.

US Masters champion Woods, despite looking a little out-of-sorts and struggling for accuracy off the tee, offset two bogeys with two birdies in difficult conditions at Pinehurst’s No. 2 Course.

That left him three adrift of Florida residents Browne and Mediate, who fired matching 67s in bright morning sunshine.

“I really hit the ball well today,” the 46-year-old Browne told reporters after reeling off five birdies and two bogeys.

“I’ve been practicing hard this week and yesterday things fell into place, but I didn’t think I would hit so many solid shots out there.

“This is a golf course that challenges every aspect of a player’s game, especially the mental component.”

On a day when most of the 156-strong field struggled to hold their approach shots into Pinehurst’s notorious dome-shaped greens, defending champion Retief Goosen was one stroke off the lead after 17 holes.

Level with the South African were South Korea’s K.J. Choi, who holed a 35-foot eagle putt at the fourth, and British Ryder Cup player Lee Westwood, with two holes to play.

Another American, 1996 winner Steve Jones, was at one under after experiencing a rollercoaster ride on his way to a 69.

Woods, who beat fellow American Chris DiMarco in a playoff for the Masters in April, made a bright start with a birdie at the par-five 10th, his opening hole.

He parred the next four holes to stay in touch with the lead before slipping back with bogeys at the par-three 15th, where he failed to reach the green off the tee, and the par-four 16th.

After completing the front nine in one-over 36, the nine-times major winner picked up his second shot of the day at the par-five fourth.

He parred the closing holes to stay level and in touch with the lead.

Woods, who hit only six out of 14 fairways, is bidding to match Ben Hogan as the only player to win the first two majors of the year on two occasions.

South African Goosen, winner of last year’s tournament at Shinnecock Hills by two strokes from Phil Mickelson, got to three under following birdies at the fourth, 10th and 13th.

However, he dropped his first shot of the day at the 14th, where he missed a par putt from six feet. World No. 3 Ernie Els, like his good friend Goosen a double US Open champion, carded an opening 71.

Mickelson, last year’s Masters champion, was among the late starters and scheduled to tee off at 1648 from the first, alongside fellow US Ryder Cup player Stewart Cink and world number seven Adam Scott of Australia.

Fiji’s Vijay Singh, the world No. 2, has been grouped with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and American Bart Bryant for a 1710 start.

Local weather forecasts expect conditions to become slightly cooler and less humid in the afternoon.