Dougherty, a protege of Nick Faldo, was in fine form at Oakmont

By Matt Slater

England's Nick Dougherty carded a superb two-under 68 at Oakmont to claim the first-round lead at the US Open.

The 25-year-old relied on a masterful short game to pass the typically stern examination posed by the USGA.

The Liverpudlian is one shot ahead of Angel Cabrera, the only other man under par, and two clear of Bubba Watson and Spanish veteran Jose Maria Olazabal.

Justin Rose, another Englishman, is in a 16-strong group on one over with 2006 winner Geoff Ogilvy and Tiger Woods.

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Other players to sign for one-over 71s on Thursday include world number seven Vijay Singh, 2003 Open champion Ben Curtis, Anders Hansen, the winner of last month's BMW Championship, and Spanish 21-year-old Pablo Martin.

It's still frightfully tough out there but the morning players definitely got the better half of it Nick Dougherty

Dougherty, the European Tour's rookie of the year in 2002, was understandably delighted with his superb start, particularly as he has only made one cut in his five previous appearances in majors.

"I didn't play all that well from tee to green but my short game was red-hot, as it has been lately, and I putted solidly," he said.

Indeed he did. He only used his putter 11 times on the back nine.

But the former Walker Cup star, a protege of six-time major winner Nick Faldo, admitted he was fortunate to be among the early starters as rain on Wednesday night had softened the fearsome Pittsburgh course's defences.

"The course is playing as good as it could be for us," he said. "It's playing somewhat easier because you can stop the ball by the hole.

"It's still frightfully tough out there but the morning players definitely got the better half of it, especially if we don't get any more rain this week."

Cabrera was also more than satisfied with his efforts.

"It was a very good round," the powerful Argentine said. "It's always tough to shoot par in the US Open."

The key to my round was 16, 17 and 18 - I could have lost three shots there but was able to keep it where it is Tiger Woods

Both men will be not be getting ahead of themselves just yet, though, as Woods and a host of other big names are within striking distance on a course that is only going to get tougher.

The world number one's display was another textbook demonstration of how to post a score whilst not firing on all cylinders. The 31-year-old American's driving was average at best but his touch around the greens and iron will kept his round on track.

Trying to add a third US Open to his 12 major titles, an increasingly wayward Woods dropped three shots in five holes from the 8th and was two over with four to play.

But he closed with an eight-footer for par at 16, a birdie at 17 and then another solid par on the last after finding the rough with his drive.

"That was a nice way to end the round," Woods said. "The key to my round was 16, 17 and 18. I could have lost three shots there but was able to keep it where it is."

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on the opening round

Ogilvy, who was playing with Woods, had only nine pars in an erratic start to his defence of the title he won in such dramatic fashion at Winged Foot last year.

Like Woods, the 30-year-old Australian struggled from the tee but his approach work was first-rate.

Another highly-fancied player to spend considerable amounts of time in Oakmont's punitive rough was Phil Mickelson, one of the players who faltered at the last 12 months ago to hand Ogilvy the title.

But the popular American had an excuse here as his recently injured left wrist troubled him throughout. A lesser player would have got nowhere near the four-over 74 he managed, and some would have simply quit.

Rose was compiling a great round until a few late mistakes

Mickelson's fighting display was far more impressive than Colin Montgomerie's, the other player with a Winged Foot hangover.

The 43-year-old Scot finished bogey, double bogey for a six-over 76, the same score as Masters champion Zach Johnson, world number four Adam Scott and two-time US Open winner Retief Goosen.

Ernie Els, another double US Open champion from South Africa, will be more happy with his 73, although he might have been hoping for better on his return to the course where he won his first major in 1994.

On the other hand, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson, still chasing their first majors, will be bitterly disappointed with their 79s.

Elsewhere, there was better news for the European contingent, and at one stage the 107th US Open appeared to be becoming the English Open. With only an hour or so to play, Rose seemed set to join Dougherty in the lead and Ian Poulter was also going well with a couple to play.

Rose then lost three shots in his last five holes and Poulter doubled the 288-yard par-three 8th, his 17th. That left Rose three behind Dougherty, and Poulter four back on two over with Lee Westwood.

But with an Englishman in the lead and six other Europeans in the top 20, the chances of a first European major winner since 1999 (and a first European US Open champion since 1970) are greater now than they were on Wednesday.

Not that anybody should go rushing to the bookmakers just yet. The more sensible money will be placed on Oakmont winning this one.