Keep that cardBeau Hossler: The 17-year-old amateur from Orange County, Calif., who has braces, shot a nifty even-par 70.
Toss that cardZach Johnson: His game, it seems, is perfectly suited for success at a U.S. Open. So his first-round 77 came as a surprise.
On the course with ...Phil Mickelson: On his first shot of the day, he hit 3-wood on No. 9 and snap-hooked it right. It quickly disappeared into the trees. Mickelson abandoned his search after 5 minutes and went back to the tee.
Well played ...Michael Allen: The 53-year-old has logged about 2,000 rounds as a club member but did something Thursday for the first time. He eagled No. 14, which played at 408 yards. Allen, the oldest player in the field, shot a 71.
One-puttAndy Zhang, at 14 the youngest qualifier in Open history, shot a 9-over 79. But he did play the last 13 holes 1 over, and a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th kept him out of the 80s.
Two-puttThe close proximity of the ninth tee to the clubhouse prompted the USGA to send players off holes No. 1 and No. 9 -- instead of the usual 10th -- during the first two rounds.
U.S. Open momentWith a light fog blanketing the grounds and San Francisco's steep hills in the backdrop, Shane Bertsch, Martin Flores and Tommy Biershenk teed off in the first group just after 7 a.m. local time. All three landed in the rough on the par-4 ninth.
The last word"Give Tiger the spotlight. I don't care. I'm going to go out and play my game. If I go out and putt the way I did today, I'll be in contention." -- First-round leader Michael Thompson, who had four birdies in his final eight holes
