Graeme McDowell lived up to his vow to be competitive at Pebble Beach Golf Links with a brilliant bogey free 69 on day one of the U.S. Open Championship.
The Northern Irishman won this event over the California layout nine years ago for his only Major Championship so far but has experienced some fallow years since then.
He returned to the winner's circle for the first time in almost four years earlier this season on the US PGA Tour and his recent form has moved him to the brink of moving back into the top 100 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Playing alongside home favourites Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, he carded the only bogey free round in the morning wave and was happy with his day's work.
“My aim was just to focus hard on the golf course because playing with Dustin and Phil, it would be easy to get caught up in what they were doing,” he said.
“Dustin plays a different game - that drive he hit on the last was just outrageous - so I had to focus on dissecting this golf course the way I can do it and I felt like I did a really good job today. I hit a lot of fairways and hit to the right side of the pin a lot.
“I played fairly mistake free golf until the last and then managed to clean that up as well. Playing with Phil trying to win the U.S. Open and you see his intensity level, you realise you are not the only guy getting nervous and under pressure.
“Thankfully I wasn’t coming here to sight see, well you always sight see here, but I was coming here to compete and I am really happy with my general execution today and the way I struck the ball.
“Three more rounds like that and who knows?”
Martin Kaymer is another former winner of this event, claiming his last European Tour victory and second Major in 2014.
Three more rounds like that and who knows? - Graeme McDowell
The German carded six birdies and four bogeys to sit alongside McDowell at two under and he was pleased to bounce back after dropping shots on the first and second.
"You know how difficult any Major can get," he said. "You will make bogeys, there's no one going to make no bogeys on the golf course over the four days.
"And if you make the two first holes bogey, or 13 and 14, it doesn't really matter and that is what I said to myself. I knew I was playing well, I just need to continue that attitude and don't get down on yourself too early in the tournament.
"Overall it was a very solid start to the first round of the U.S. Open."
