Browne's tale brings romance to the game

US Open: The capriciousness of golf is sometimes hard to fathom.

After all, here we are at Pinehurst No 2 for the 105th US Open. It's a course deemed to be as difficult as there is to be found on this planet, and with a championship set-up unrivalled in any of the other majors. Surely, you think, the cream should rise to the top. Surely, you imagine, this is where upstarts are put in their place.

Yesterday, though, schemed against any preconceived notions. As the sun beat down on baked greens and the breeze whistled through the pine trees, the romance of sport was encapsulated by the performance of Olin Browne, in particular, but also by that of Rocco Mediate as the two 40-somethings opened with three-under-par 67s.

Browne's tale is especially worth the telling, on a number of fronts.

The American was consumed by sport as a youngster, playing baseball and football and tennis but not golf, at least not until he was 19 years old.

"I got a summer job after my freshman year (in college) and I just started playing golf. I was at a stage in my life where I really didn't have a clue what I was going to do. I kind of fell in love with the game," he recalled.

Even still, he never envisaged a career as a professional golfer. Instead, back then, he wanted to be an anthropologist. The golf bug, however, had bitten and slowly but surely anthropology took a back seat to golf.

"My folks thought I was absolutely stark raving out of my mind when I told them this was what I wanted to do. They took a little convincing, threw their hands up and said, 'it's his life, whatever'."

So it was that his fledgling professional career was eked out on what was the Nike Tour, before he secured his full US Tour card. In 13 years on that tour, he has won twice - the Greater Hartford Open in 1998 and the Colonial in 1999 - and, in eight previous appearances in the US Open, his best finish was tied-fifth at Congressional in 1997.

However, he wasn't exempt for Pinehurst and had to participate in the qualifying section at Woodmont.

After posting a first-round 73, he seriously considered withdrawing.

"I decided to play nine holes (of the second round) to see how it went," said Browne. He covered the stretch in 30 strokes, not surprisingly opted to continue playing and covered the back nine in 29, for a 59. He qualified.

Yet yesterday's round of 67 was more satisfying.

"Woodmont is a really nice place, but the condition of the golf course can't come close to the US Open in the difficulty and the challenge . . . I would rather shoot under par at the (US) Open than 59 screwing around at home," said Browne, ranked 300th in the world.

"The US Open is the most challenging golf event that we play. You can't fake your way around a US Open course, and anyone who has played well in an Open or has won an Open has earned every inch of every step that he has taken."

On a day when patience was very much a virtue, Retief Goosen - the defending champion - again stressed his game is particularly suited to the demands presented by the USGA, opening with a two-under-par 68, which was matched by England's Lee Westwood.

Goosen's steadiness was emphasised by hitting 16 greens in regulation, though he did take 32 putts.

"I started to feel my game was coming around three weeks ago, I started to hit the ball better," he said.

Westwood's score was all the more remarkable given that he was smothering with a cold.

"I didn't feel too good when I woke up this morning, but I never considered pulling out. I think it's a culmination of the humidity, of coming in and out of the air conditioning. When it's warm like this, playing in a US Open on a course like this, you want to be fully fit. It's a massive bonus to shoot a 68."

As you need in championship play, Westwood got a break or two along the way, most notably on the 14th, where he drove into a fairway bunker but managed to find the green, albeit 60 feet from the hole.

As he attempted to lag the putt, the ball dropped into the hole for a birdie against the head. "That's the kind of luck you want," he said.

While Westwood was the early leader of the European challenge - attempting to end a drought that extends back to Tony Jacklin's win in 1970 - he was well supported by his fellow-Englishman Luke Donald, who opened with a 71 despite twice putting off the green.

"I'm happy, very pleased with my round," said Donald. "I felt very much in control, felt like I knew where the ball was going. This is the kind of situation that I want to get myself into."

For the three Irish in the field, the first round proved an altogether frustrating experience. While Brandt Jobe moved into the on-course lead at four under after 13 holes, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley were struggling. Harrington was five-over after 15 holes, McGinley six-over after 16.

Graeme McDowell signed for a 74 that included three bogeys in the last five holes.