As is so often the case by the end of the first day of a major championship, the names atop the leaderboard at the 108th US Open had an unfamiliar ring at Torrey Pines yesterday.

Much had been made of the group involving Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott, but centre stage was taken by two relatively unknown Americans in Kevin Streelman and Justin Hicks - one a rookie on the PGA Tour, the other a Nationwide Tour player with earnings this year of just $8,463.

Both had rounds of 68, three under par, and lie one shot ahead of four players, including Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 champion, with Woods four shots back and Mickelson three. It would be a foolish man to bet on the leaders staying there.

For the large British contingent it was a day of mixed fortunes, much of it bad. Among those to suffer most on this huge course, whose greens got more difficult and bumpy as the day wore on, were Ian Poulter, who was seven over par after a round of 78, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Colin Montgomerie, who had rounds of 79.

There were good scores, however, for Lee Westwood - who finished two shots off the lead after a steady opening round that included two birdies and a solitary bogey - Luke Donald, who had a 71, and Oliver Wilson, a 72. Padraig Harrington, the Open champion, struggled to a 78, while Angel Cabrera, the defending champion, had a 79.

Donald has twice finished runner-up on this course in the Buick Invitational and had the look of a player on familiar territory. This is anything but home-from-home for Westwood, but he, too, believes he has unlocked the secret to the course.

"I always feel like I should have a chance at the US Open because I drive the ball well and this course has grown on me as the week has gone on," Westwood said. "I might just have found a way of playing this course and hopefully I can keep that going for the next three days and have a chance on Sunday afternoon."

For Wilson, competing in his second US Open, the day offered an instant insight into what it is like to walk in the shoes of Woods and Mickelson. It was not that the 27-year-old Englishman was scheduled to play alongside the world's top two, only that he had been drawn to play immediately in front of them.

With thousands lining the fairways and with stands full to bursting, Wilson was almost part of a warm-up act for the day's main draw. Yet if he was feeling nervous, he disguised it well. Revelling in the electric atmosphere, he reached the turn in 33, two under par, but was disappointed to drop three shots in the last four holes. Perhaps by that stage, he was spending too much time watching Woods, Mickelson and Scott.

"It was a fantastic experience playing in front of them," Wilson said. "Having the opportunity to watch the three best players in the world hitting shots into places that they shouldn't have been, gives you confidence."

A European Tour rookie in 2005, Wilson almost claimed his maiden victory at the recent BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, when he was beaten by Miguel Angel Jimenez in a sudden-death play-off. He lies third on the Order of Merit, No 47 in the world rankings, and is beginning to make waves in the game. His experience here can only make him stronger.

Can the same be said for Gary Wolstenholme, the 47-year-old former Amateur champion, who got into the field as first reserve? He discovered exactly what a US Open is all about with a round of 83, 12-over-par.

First round scores

United States unless stated, par 71

68 Justin Hicks, Kevin Streelman
69 Eric Axley, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Rocco Mediate, Stuart Appleby (Aus)
70 Robert Karlsson (Swe), Robert Allenby (Aus), Ernie Els (Rsa), Lee Westwood (Eng), Rickie Fowler
71 Phil Mickelson, Patrick Sheehan, Vijay Singh (Fij), Andres Romero (Arg), Joe Ogilvie, Luke Donald (Eng), Carl Pettersson (Swe)
72 Tiger Woods, Kyle Stanley, Davis Love III, Oliver Wilson (Eng), Casey Wittenberg, Woody Austin, Ian Leggatt (Can), Stewart Cink, Jon Mills (Can), Hunter Mahan, Scott Verplank, D.J. Trahan
73 Nick Watney, Ross Fisher (Eng), Robert Dinwiddie (Eng), John Mallinger, Steve Marino, Daniel Chopra (Swe), Derek Fathauer, Brett Quigley, Mike Weir (Can), Brandt Jobe, Boo Weekley, Steve Stricker, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Adam Scott (Aus), John Merrick, Matt Kuchar, Camilo Villegas (Col), Tim Clark (Rsa)
74 Rodney Pampling (Aus), Todd Hamilton, Toru Taniguchi (Jpn), Aaron Baddeley (Aus), D.A. Points, Dustin Johnson, Michael Thompson, Anthony Kim, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), Jim Furyk, KJ Choi (Kor), Rich Beem, Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Stephen Ames (Can), Thomas Levet (Fra)
75 Chris Kirk, Sean English, Bart Bryant, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Ben Curtis, Heath Slocum, Charles Howell III, Justin Leonard, Ben Crane, Mark O'Meara, Craig Parry (Aus), Tway Kevin, Jerry Kelly, Pat Perez, Lee Janzen, Jarrod Lyle (Aus), J.B. Holmes, John Rollins, Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Jonathan Byrd
76 Peter Tomasulo, Zach Johnson, Andrew Dresser, David Toms, David Hearn (Can), Charlie Beljan, Dean Wilson, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Alastair Forsyth (Sco), Retief Goosen (Rsa), Joey Lamielle, Brandt Snedeker, Ross McGowan (Eng), Richard Sterne (Rsa), Jason Bohn
77 Michael Letzig, Robert Garrigus, Jon Turcott, Andrew Svoboda, Bubba Watson, Chad Campbell, Brad Bryant, Mathew Goggin (Aus), John Ellis, Nick Taylor (Can), Jesper Parnevik (Swe), Shingo Katayama (Jpn)
78 Michael Campbell (Nzl), Soren Hansen (Den), Steve Flesch, Nick Dougherty (Eng), Scott Piercy, Michael Allen, Jeff Wilson, Niclas Fasth (Swe), Ian Poulter (Eng), Phillip Archer (Eng), Brian Kortan, Henrik Stenson (Swe), Fernando Figueroa (Esa), Padraig Harrington (Irl)
79 Colin Montgomerie (Sco), Jeff Quinney, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Johan Edfors (Swe), Paul Casey (Eng), Justin Rose (Eng), DJ Brigman, Artemio-hiromasa Murakami (Phi), Jay Choi (Kor), Jason Gore
80 Scott Sterling, Garrett Chaussard, Kevin Silva, Craig Barlow, Jordan Cox, Bob Gaus, Hunter Haas
81 Rob Rashell, Jeffrey Bors, Jimmy Henderson
82 Travis Bertoni
83 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng), Bobby Collins, Yohann Benson (Can)
84 Chris Stroud, Chris Devlin (NIrl)
86 Philippe Gasnier (Bra), Mike Gilmore, Michael Quagliano, Brian Bergstol