Webb Simpson of the United States holds the U.S. Open trophy after his one-stroke victory in San Francisco on Sunday, June 17. Simpson finished the four-day event at one shot over par to secure his first major title.
(CNN) -- Tiger Woods kept his recent strong play going Thursday, shooting a 1-under 69 to keep him within shouting distance of the leader at the U.S. Open.
Michael Thompson held the lead after round one, shooting a 4-under 66 for a three-shot advantage from second-placed Woods, 2010 winner Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose, David Toms and Nick Watney.
Thompson, 27, is playing in only his second U.S. Open, having finished tied for 29th in 2008.
"I've got nothing to lose. This is just a bonus in my career," said Thompson, who was runner-up at the Olympic Club at the 2007 U.S. Amateur Championship.
"I'm not guaranteed into all the majors as a professional, and to be able to have the opportunity to play is just a wonderful experience."
Woods was on his game all day at Olympic's tree-lined Lake Course in San Francisco.
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He consistently hit fairways and kept the ball out of the rough. He birdied in back-to-back holes late in the round, shots that brought huge applause and subdued fist pumps from Woods.
"I was very pleased," Woods told reporters. "I felt like I had control of my game all day and just stuck to my game plan and executed my game plan."
His play came in stark contrast to the others in his marquee pairing. Woods was grouped with Phil Mickelson and recent Masters champion Bubba Watson, but both golfers struggled mightily and will have to rally on Friday to make the cut.
Mickelson, who has been a U.S. Open runner-up five times, shot a 6-over 76.
He fell on hard times from the beginning, slicing his opening tee shot into the trees and losing the ball. He had to rally just to get a bogey. He then went on to bogey the next two holes and showcased uneven play the whole round.
"I can't really think about the lead or anything," Mickelson told reporters. "I've just got to make the cut right now, and to do that, I got to shoot something under par."
Watson had even more difficulty shooting a round of 8-over 78.
The always-clever Watson commented on his difficulties on his Twitter page.
"I figured out what I did wrong today on the golf course, missed the putt for 77. #goflishard," Watson tweeted hours after he had finished Thursday.
Chinese golf prodigy, 14, in U.S. Open
Casey Martin gets 2nd shot at U.S. Open
Another big story of the first round was 14-year-old Andy Zhang who became the youngest golfer to ever compete in the U.S. Open.
Zhang started out a little shaky starting with a triple bogey, then a double bogey and then three more bogeys in a row. But the teen settled himself and with a beautiful play at the end of the round became the youngest player to hit a birdie in the U.S. Open.
He finished with a 9-over 79, which left him level with world No. 1 Luke Donald and U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell in a tie for 140th in the 156-man field.
Defending U.S. Open champ Rory McIlroy stumbled in the first round, as the world No. 2 carded 7-over 77.
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It was a tough day for the world's top three players, with Englishman Lee Westwood faring the best as he shot 73 to be tied for 40th.
Casey Martin, playing his first major tournament in 14 years since his controversial debut at the same venue, was tied for 52nd.
The 40-year-old American, who needs to use a golf cart due to a birth defect which causes pain in his right leg, carded six bogeys and two birdies in his 74.
"I tried to realize there's really not that much pressure on me, but it didn't work," said Martin, now a university golf coach who came through regional qualifying last week.
"I want to enjoy it. It's hard to enjoy it when you're popping with your nerves and stuff. I want to do so well so bad that I don't want to get in my way."
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Tiger Woods of the United States waves to the crowd on the 18th green.
Webb Simpson hits his tee shot on the 13th hole of the 112th U.S. Open.
Jim Furyk of the United States tees off on the eighth hole Sunday.
Michael Thompson of the United States lines up a putt on the 18th hole.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland waits on the seventh green.
Jim Furyk of the United States reacts to a poor shot on the 12th hole.
Webb Simpson of the United States hits his tee shot on the eighth hole.
Tiger Woods walks to the eighth tee Sunday.
Graeme McDowell hits his second shot on the sixth hole.
Lee Westwood of England, left, and Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden walk off the fourth tee.
Jason Dufner of the United States watches his tee shot on the fourth hole.
Fredrik Jacobson smiles from the green on Sunday.
Jim Furyk hits his tee shot on the sixth hole.
Tiger Woods walks to the eighth tee on Sunday.
Ernie Els of South Africa reacts to a missed putt.
Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden plays a bunker shot on the second hole.
Jim Furyk of the United States hits his tee shot on the second hole.
Tiger Woods of the United States watches his tee shot on the third hole.
Tiger Woods hits a bunker shot on the first hole on Sunday.
Sergio Garcia of Spain tees off at the third hole.
Michael Thompson of the United States hits his tee shot on the third hole.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States hits his second shot on the first hole Sunday.
Jim Furyk of the United States plays a bunker shot on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, June 16.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland hits a bunker shot on the fifth hole during the third round.
Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the third round.
Charlie Wi of South Korea hits his tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
Raphael Jacquelin of France hits a bunker shot on the 17th hole during the third round.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States walks to the 18th green with his caddie, Bill Schellenberg.
John Peterson of the United States celebrates a hole-in-one on the 13th hole with his caddie, Gentry Mangun.
Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium hits his tee shot on the third hole Saturday.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States waits on the seventh hole Saturday.
Kevin Na of the United States reacts to a missed birdie putt on the seventh hole.
Ernie Els of South Africa plays a bunker shot on the seventh hole during the third round.
Ernie Els of South Africa hits his tee shot on the seventh hole during the third round.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland waits on the eighth green during the third round.
Michael Thompson of the United States hits his tee shot on the eighth hole during the third round.
Charl Schwartzel of South Africa hits a shot during the third round.
David Toms of the United States hits a shot on the fifth hole Saturday.
Tiger Woods of the United States reaches for a golf ball on the practice ground.
Lee Westwood of England celebrates his birdie putt on the 18th hole Saturday.
Tiger Woods of the United States walks off the third tee during the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday, June 15.
Tiger Woods climbs out of a bunker on the sixth hole during the second round.
Tiger Woods of the United States lines up a putt.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson walk past one another during the second round.
David Toms of the United States hits his tee shot on the eighth hole.
Phil Mickelson walks off the eighth green.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States hits his tee shot on the seventh hole.
Beau Hossler celebrates a birdie on the seventh green.
Caddie Scott Gneiser watches David Toms of the United States line up a shot during the second round.
Beau Hossler hits his tee shot on the sixth hole.
Beau Hossler greets fans on the seventh hole.
Tiger Woods walks off the 18th green.
Tiger Woods plays a bunker shot on the 16th hole.
Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on the eighth hole.
Tiger Woods hits a shot on the 16th hole.
Tiger Woods, left, and Bubba Watson of the United States wait on the first tee during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open on Friday.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks off the eighth green during the second round.
Luke Donald of England walks up a fairway with a group of caddies during the second round.
Justin Rose of England hits a shot during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open on Friday.
Golfers play the eighth hole during the second round.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland plays a shot on the 15th hole.
Jim Furyk of the United States watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits a shot from a bunker on the 10th hole during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open.
Justin Rose of England hits an approach shot on the fourth hole.
Matt Kuchar of the United States watches his tee shot Friday on the third hole as Ian Poulter of England and Steve Stricker of the United States look on with their caddies.
Casey Martin drives a golf cart off the first hole during the first round of the 112th U.S. Open on Thursday.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his second shot on the second hole during the first round of the 112th U.S. Open on Thursday.
Rickie Fowler of the United States hits his tee shot on the 13th hole during the first round.
Ian Poulter of England lines up a putt during the first round.
Hunter Mahan of the United States plays a bunker shot on the 17th hole during the first round.
Sergio Garcia of Spain watches his tee shot on the first hole during the first round.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland hits a shot on the first hole.
Lee Westwood of England hits his tee shot on the fourth hole as a gallery of fans look on.
Ryo Ishikawa of Japan hits his tee shot on the tenth hole.
Matt Kuchar of the United States watches his tee shot on the first hole.
Michael Thompson hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the first round.
David Toms watches a tee shot on the second hole during the first round.
Michael Thompson of the United States reacts to a putt during the first round.
Michael Thompson hits his tee shot on the second hole during the first round.
Tiger Woods watches his approach shot on the 18th hole during the first round .
Ireland's Padraig Harrington watches a shot during the first round.
Bubba Watson plays a shot on the second hole during the first round.
From left, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson wait on the 13th tee during the first round.The trio teed off together in what many called a "super group."
Woods tees off on the 10th hole Thursday.
Mickelson blasts out of the bunker on the 10th hole.
Fans watch the play during the first round of the U.S. Open.
J.B. Park of South Korea walks off the second tee during the first round.
Spectators watch as Mickelson heads up the hill to the tee on the ninth hole.
Surrounded by spectators, Woods watches a shot on the 18th tee.
Mickelson takes a shot on the 18th hole.
Woods, who was leading his group, hits his tee shot on the 13th hole Thursday.
Andy Zhang, a 14-year-old originally from China, hits a bunker shot on the second hole.
Kevin Na hits a shot to the 18th green.
Mickelson and Woods wait on the 11th green.
Mickelson reacts after his putt on the ninth hole Thursday.
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