Weir takes lead

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The 2003 Masters champion from Canada posted eight birdies undone by a double bogey at the par-four sixth hole to sign for a six under par round, two shots clear of Sweden's Peter Hanson with former world number one David Duval three shots behind following a 67.

It could have been much better for Weir as he reached the sixth, his 16th of the round, at six under and on course for a US Open record round of 62. The six at the sixth put paid to that but he rallied with a birdie, birdie finish.

Former world number one Duval, who suffered an alarming dip in form following his victory at the 2001 Open Championship at Lytham, had led a charge among the second wave of starters in the 156-man field as they finally got their first rounds under way in drying conditions on still soft greens.

Those conditions helped the late starters at Bethpage Black steal a march on their earlier rivals when American amateur Drew Weaver and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell were the only two players under par.

McDowell, coming off a final-round 63 at the St Jude Classic in Memphis last Sunday, posted a one-under-par 69 after opening-round play resumed on Friday morning following Thursday's wash out on Long Island, while defending champion Tiger Woods suffered a nightmare finish to his first round.

World number two Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott of Australia and Americans Lucas Glover and Ricky Barnes joined McDowell and Weaver at one under having been at three under after 14 holes with those low scores possibly spelling trouble for world number one Woods, who had been at level par with four holes to play but finished his round with a run of double bogey, bogey, par, bogey to leave him with a four-over 74.