Pacesetter Montgomerie leads Mickelson by one

MAMARONECK, New York, June 15 (Reuters) US Masters champion Phil Mickelson scrambled to a level-par 70 and an early tie for second place behind Briton Colin Montgomerie in the US Open first round today.

Chasing a third consecutive major title, the American left-hander offset two birdies with two bogeys on a difficult, blustery day at Winged Foot Golf Club.

Mickelson, who won the US PGA Championship last August before clinching the US Masters in April, finished level with 2003 winner Jim Furyk and one stroke behind Montgomerie.

The Scot, a US Open runner-up in 1994 and 1997, birdied three of the last 10 holes to set the early pace.

''It's a tough golf course but I thought this was as fair an US Open test as I've seen,'' Mickelson told reporters.

''I didn't hit many greens today but I was able to put myself in spots where I was able to get up and down.'' Mickelson dropped his first shot at the par-five 12th after teeing off at the par-three 10th on a cool morning.

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.

The world number two got back to level by sinking a 25-footer at the par-three seventh before parring last two holes.

LEAD SURRENDERED American Furyk got to one under with his fourth birdie of the day at the par-four 16th but surrendered the outright lead with a bogey at the last, where he missed the fairway off the tee.

''It definitely played difficult today but no hole out there was unfair,'' Furyk said. ''It was just tough to get the ball on the fairway.'' World number three Vijay Singh opened with a 71, joining Canada's Mike Weir, American John Cook and Britons Kenneth Ferrie and Graeme McDowell at one over.

Fijian Singh, whose best U.S. 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 before dropping on 16 and 17.

''Seventy-one is a good score and I don't think there'll be too many scores under par this afternoon,'' Singh said. ''The greens are already crusting.

''I've taken a lot of confidence from last week,'' he added, referring to his victory in the Barclays Classic on Sunday at nearby Westchester Country Club.

''I'm not on a high but my golf game has lifted to here I feel at ease with the way I'm playing.'' 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 teed off at 1325 local (2315 hrs ist) in the company of defending champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand and US amateur champion Edoardo Molinari of Italy.

Reuters YA GC2345