MAMARONECK (New York) June 15: Vijay Singh managed to dip under par in typically tough conditions in the early stages of the US Open on Thursday.

The Fijian world number three was one under after 15 holes at a blustery Winged Foot Golf Club, one stroke ahead of 2003 champion Jim Furyk, Britain's Colin Montgomerie and three others.

Singh, whose best US Open finish was a tie for third in 1999 at Pinehurst, recovered from a bogey-four at the third with birdies at the fifth and 15th.

American Furyk offset three birdies with three bogeys to stay level after 15 holes while eight-times European number one Montgomerie had a similar mix after 12.

US Masters champion Phil Mickelson, chasing a third consecutive major title, was one over after 13 holes having struggled on Winged Foot's tight fairways and slick greens.

The American left-hander, who won the US PGA Championship last August before clinching the US Masters in April, dropped his first shot at the par-five 12th after teeing off on the par-three 10th.

After deciding to lay up short of the green in two, he pulled his wedge approach into the right greenside bunker and failed to get up and down to save par.

He holed a curling 30-foot birdie putt at the 18th to spark loud roars from the watching gallery but then bogeyed the par-four second to slip back to one over.

World number one Tiger Woods, who has not played for nine weeks following the death of his father on May 3, was among the late starters.

The twice winner was scheduled to tee off at 1325 local (1725 GMT) in the company of defending champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand and US amateur champion Edoardo Molinari of Italy.

Rain forecast for overnight never arrived and conditions are expected to remain breezy and dry for the rest of the day.—Reuters