Safety first proves the best policy for leaders

GOLF / US Open: The trick, or so it is said, is not to be too cute; that it is best to be just a little cautious. "When you start pushing and try to make something happen," remarked Ernie Els, "the golf course can beat you up."

And, so, despite benign weather - perfect scoring conditions - and a course playing at its easiest and seemingly bereft of the nastier traits normally associated with a US Open set-up, those who adopted a safety-first approach around Olympia Fields in yesterday's first round benefited most.

And there were many who did tread carefully, those afraid to have their major aspirations tossed into a rubbish bin before they could be properly nurtured into something more substantial. On a day when barely a breath of wind ruffled a flag, players more accustomed to being mauled by US Open courses showed that a sensible strategy of keeping the ball in play not only kept them safe, but reaped a more tangible reward.

No one demonstrated the tactic better than Justin Leonard, who assumed the clubhouse lead - with Jay Don Blake - on four-under-par, after an opening round of four-under-par 66.

But they were later overtaken by surprise package Brett Quigley, who produced the round of the day, which even included two bogeys, for a five-under-par 65 and the outright lead.

And, yet, the wide-open nature of the championship was such that a surprisingly large number of players dipped under par, although Tiger Woods, who shot a level par 70, in a round featuring 33 putts, was not among them.

Padraig Harrington, though, was after a 69, while Ernie Els - also on 69 - was another to better the course. All of which was to be expected given the pair's form this year.

But there was the unexpected, too, not least the re-emergence of Colin Montgomerie who has endured a torrid old time of it so far this season. The Scot, who has missed the cut in his last two tournaments on the European Tour and who has missed the cut in four of his last five events on the US Tour, was another to finish on 69.

Monty came here with his confidence at a lower ebb than it has been for some time. So he turned to his sports psychologist Hugh Mantle - who travelled with him - for help.

"I'm not one of those players who are ashamed to ask for help when I need it," insisted Montgomerie. "I felt I needed something. I had started to doubt myself after missing two cuts in Europe, which is a very poor thing to do, but I had to put the past in to the past and move on. And I've done that. I have put myself right in there."

Meanwhile, Darren Clarke was one-under-par after 15 holes.

One of those who set the early pace was Leonard, who knows a thing or two of what it takes to win a major. Leonard won the British Open in 1997 but, rather surprisingly, has never secured a top-10 finish in a US Open. Yesterday, however, he was the essence of consistency in formulating a 66 that included two bogeys - at the fifth, where he drove into a water hazard on the right and had to take a penalty drop, and the 12th where he drove into rough - and six birdies.

Three of those birdies came in succession, from the 13th to the 15th. His wedge approach to two feet on the 13th was, he believed, the "shot of the day." He explained: "It enabled me to build up some momentum."

He was to follow up with yet more precision iron play to the next two holes, holing from six feet on the 14th and 12 feet on the 15th.

"I think this course calls for what I call a US Open approach. There are going to be only some holes you need to play aggressively and where you can take chances, but there are other holes where you can't. But, at some point, you've got to take a chance and hit a driver and hit the ball at the hole . . . but to do it smartly," insisted Leonard.

Of more surprise after the first round was that Blake, who has struggled with back and elbow ailments, found himself among the pace-setters. Playing without a full card this season, he has relied on late calls-up to gain a place in tournaments - where he has either withdrawn or missed the cut in eight of 10 events - but came through qualifying to earn his place in the field here.

Yesterday, he made the most of his place, firing a 66 to join Leonard. "My attitude is to just go out and enjoy it," he claimed.

It remains to be seen how long Blake can hang around as the pressure intensifies, however, and, in such circumstances, leaders are more inclined to cast their eyes at the whereabouts of players likes Woods, who played more conservatively than he normally does.

"If you get too aggressive on some of the pin locations and short-sight yourself, then you're making bogey," said Woods. "You just have to keep plugging along, to be as patient as possible. It's very penal if you hit to the wrong side and you have to be smart about what you are doing."

Indeed, there was a general agreement that it was almost as important not to fall out of the tournament as it was to play your way into contention.

"I feel very good about how I managed my game today," said Woods. "I didn't hit the ball off the tee as well as I needed to . . . but I got it around and kept myself in the tournament."

And, really, that's what the first round is all about. Major titles, more than any other, are won when the white heat of battle intensifies on a Sunday.

Woods, more than anyone, knows that.