Graeme McDowell was the only player out on the course under par for the week as the second round of the US Open Championship began in San Francisco.
With overnight leader Michael Thompson not teeing off until the afternoon, any hopes the rest of the field had of closing the 27 year old’s three shot advantage were dashed by The Olympic Club’s fiery conditions.
McDowell, one of five players to share second place on one under par overnight, drove into the left-hand rough and bogeyed the ninth - his first - before responding with a birdie at the next.
Looking for a second US Open crown in three years after his victory at Pebble Beach in 2010, McDowell dropped another shot at the 12th but fired in a 20 foot birdie putt at the short 15th to return to one under and three off the lead.
The Northern Irishman was level with Tiger Woods and David Toms - the American duo, like Thompson, is amongst the afternoon starters - but Justin Rose and Nick Watney both dropped shots at the start of their rounds.
Jim Furyk was level par for both his round and the tournament through seven, while Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts was making perhaps the biggest move of the second morning.
The European Tour’s longest hitter birdied the ninth and 16th - the longest hole in Major Championship history - to be one under for the day and one over for the week; an achievement all the more impressive considering he had two double bogeys in his first three holes on Thursday.
Rose was two over through five to also lie one over for the week, alongside his fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, who dropped a shot at the second.
McDowell subsequently added a ten foot birdie at the 16th to take solo second on two under, while Colsaerts returned to level par for the week with a 12 foot birdie at the 18th.
