The US Open's capacity to surprise is well known but it was demonstrated once again at Torrey Pines in the first round. We knew an American or two would be leading at the end of the first day. At least we suspected they might. We just did not expect them to be Justin Hicks and Kevin Streelman. No, I hadn't heard of them before yesterday either. Neither was exempt into the US Open. Both came through qualifying.

And we expected a challenge from the leading Europeans. But with one or two exceptions it did not materialise. If the 2008 champion is to be British, as Tony Jacklin was at Hazeltine in 1970, or even from mainland Europe, then he is hiding himself well at present. Padraig Harrington, the Open champion, went round in 78, seven over par, the same score as Ian Poulter, Nick Dougherty and Henrik Stenson. Justin Rose, the winner of last year's Order of Merit, went round in 79 as did Paul Casey and Colin Montgomerie. A disastrous start by Sergio Garcia, the Players champion, was redeemed somewhat but he still finished with a 76. There was carnage among many of the Europeans.

The Europe flag was upheld bravely by Robert Karlsson and Lee Westwood, who both had 70s. Later Luke Donald returned a 71, level par, one stroke better than Oliver Wilson and two strokes better than Ross Fisher and Richard Dinwiddie.

There is a story behind these scores and it is that those who played in the morning had the better of the day. It wasn't that the wind got up at lunchtime as it so often does at courses bordering the sea. It was that the poa annua greens, not exactly billiard table smooth at the best of times, became bumpy in the afternoon, thanks to the trafficking of lots of pairs of feet. You did not need to see Justin Rose three putt twice from less than 15 feet to realise this nor hear Els saying how it was an achievement on some greens not to three putt from ten feet.

Times Archive, 1970: Jacklin wins US Open

Tony Jacklin, the 25-year-old British Open champion, made golfing history yesterday by winning the United States championship

• Nicklaus fit for more, 1980

• Gary Player leads all the way in play-off, 1965

Significantly, Karlsson and Westwood started at 7.44 and 7.55 respectively while Harrington, Dougherty, Poulter, Casey, Montgomerie, Rose, Alastair Forsyth and Ross McGowan all started well after lunch. So credit to Donald who teed off at 1.14, to Dinwiddie, who started at 12.41 and to Fisher, who was in the 2.09 trio. They were the exceptions who proved the general rule.

Vijay Singh had a few choice words to say on the eve of the championship, calling some of the Britons "workshy" and suggesting they had not won a major championship because they did not work hard enough. He said they were prepared to stay in their comfort zone and did not have one-track minds.

Those comments went down like a lead balloon, predictably enough, with the likes of Donald, Casey, Rose and Poulter. They do work hard. They are ambitious. But it was puzzling the way that Rose, Casey and Poulter, not to mention Dougherty, Stenson and Harrington all struggled on the first day.

At least when they play their second round the greens will have had a lot fewer shoes walking over them and thus be smoother.

The real challenge is going to be for Karlsson and Westwood to continue their good form throughout a long afternoon. For Donald, Dinwiddie, Stenson and Fisher, while the second round will be hard, they should find that starting before eight o'clock will be a big advantage.

I predict that a number of players will improve on their first round performances. Step forward Rose, Casey, Dougherty, Stenson and Poulter.