Triple champion Tiger Woods splashed his way to one over par after six holes before the opening round of the 109th US Open was washed out for the day by persistent rain on Thursday. The world number one, a heavy favorite this week in pursuit of his 15th major victory, was left with an eight-foot par putt on the seventh green when play was finally suspended at a waterlogged Bethpage Black. Woods was two strokes behind the early leaders – Americans Jeff Brehaut and Ryan Spears, Swede Johan Edfors and Canadian Andrew Parr – after only 3-1/4 hours of golf was possible. Journeyman Brehaut, who has never won on the PGA Tour, had completed 11 holes, Spears (three), Edfors (four) and Parr (three). “It was a good decision to play today,” Woods, 33, told reporters after more than an inch of rain soaked Bethpage during the day. “We had to get in as many holes as we could, and we probably played more than we thought.” Watched by huge galleries in steady drizzle, Woods did well to salvage a par at the opening hole after hooking his tee shot 40 yards left of the fairway, his ball ending up on trampled grass behind a concession tent. He appeared to lose his grip on impact before looking on in amazement as his ball sailed wide of the target. After finding a greenside bunker with his approach, Woods got up and down to scramble his par. He parred the next three holes before running up an ugly double-bogey at the par-four fifth. His drive ended up in the right rough from where he hacked out on to the fairway before hitting his third shot into a bunker guarding the front of the green. After splashing out to 10 feet, he two-putted. However, Woods partially recovered with a birdie at the par-four sixth where he struck a six-iron to 15 feet and rolled in the putt. At the seventh, he missed the fairway off the tee before finding a greenside bunker with his approach. Moments later, the siren sounded to halt play for the day but he had the option to play his third and blasted out to eight feet. “I wanted to hit that shot because I already had a feel for the sand,” said Woods, who won last year's US Open in a gripping playoff with fellow American Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines outside San Diego. Brehaut, making his second US Open appearance at the age of 46, moved into a share of the early lead after following a bogey at the par-four 10th, his first hole, with birdies on 13 and 17. “I got a couple of good breaks when I drove it in the rough where I could get a lie that I could handle,” said the Californian, who has played most of his golf on the satellite Nationwide Tour. “Making two birdies was great and I found myself at the top of the leaderboard and seeing what Tiger goes through every day. But it's a long way to go.” Among the other early starters, US Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina was level after six holes and 2006 winner Geoff Ogilvy of Australia one over after five. Weather permitting, the first round will resume at 0730 local time (1130 GMT) on Friday. However, rain has been forecast for the next five days at Bethpage.
