Two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen and former Masters winner Mike Weir both shot one-over 71 yesterday in the howling wind and soaking rain of Royal Birkdale, claiming the clubhouse lead on a miserable opening day at the British Open.

They were the fortunate ones.

Ernie Els struggled to an 80 - his highest score ever at the Open. Vijay Singh also signed for an 80. Phil Mickelson lost his ball at the sixth hole and settled for a 79, the worst opening round of his career in golf's oldest major.

Seven of the first 14 players to finish put up scores in the 80s, though a more promising forecast in the afternoon might help the scoring. Sergio Garcia, who lost a playoff at Carnoustie last year, was among those with a later tee time - certainly preferable after early morning storms rolled in off the Irish Sea in Southport.

The South African who won the US Open in 2001 and again three years later, Goosen overcame a double-bogey at No. 6 and somehow managed to put up four birdies in brutal conditions that made golf's oldest championship a stern test even without three-time champion Tiger Woods looming over the field.

"One of the best" was how Goosen summed up his round. "It was a battle out there."

Weir, the Canadian winner of the 2003 Masters, also had a double-bogey on his card, but countered it with an eagle at the par-five 17th.

Despite a sore wrist, defending champion Padraig Harrington got off to a solid start with a 74. He would have been even closer to the lead if not for a bogey-bogey finish, but not bad considering he seriously thought of withdrawing just a day earlier.

"I think the bad day helped," Harrington said. "You had no time to think about anything else but your next shot."

Nearly nine hours after Craig Parry hit the opening shot of the tournament, only two players were in the red: Australia's Adam Scott and Sweden's Peter Hanson, both at one-under but still playing the front side. Seven others were at even-par, all early in their rounds.

Five-time Open champion Tom Watson birdied the first hole to send a roar through the shivering gallery and went on the shoot 74. But it was a miserable day for another former winner. Sandy Lyle, who won the Open at Royal St. George's in 1985, pulled out after playing the first 10 holes in an 11-over 49.

"I felt I could do myself more harm than good," said the 50-year-old Lyle, who plays his first Senior Open tournament at Troon next week. "It could take three weeks for recover from this."

Though inclement weather is as much a part of the Open as the claret jug, Lyle said he'd never played an early morning round in such miserable conditions.

"It was just constant rain all the time," he said. "It was difficult keeping my hands dry and, of course, I wear glasses, so that didn't help. It's a brutal golf course."

Rich Beem of the US also dropped out after shooting 12-over 46 on the front side. His first seven holes went like this: bogey, quadruple-bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, double-bogey.

Others persevered. English favorite Justin Rose, who finished fourth as a 17-year-old amateur in the last Open played at Royal Birkdale in 1998, struggled through the front nine at four-over but was even on the back for a 74. David Duval, whose career fell apart after his 2001 Open win at Lytham, put himself in contention with a 73.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 18, 2008)