Lee Westwood today likened his opening round in the US Open to a Sunday stroll, thanks to title rivals Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson stealing all the attention at Torrey Pines.

Westwood leads the British challenge at the season's second major after carding a one-under-par 70 to stand two shots behind surprise leaders Justin Hicks and Kevin Streelman, of the United States.

Tournament favourite Woods, who admitted his knee still felt sore following arthroscopic surgery nine weeks ago, will resume later today on one over par, one behind Mickelson.

The players ranked one, two and three in the world - Australia's Adam Scott is the third member of the marquee grouping - will again be the big draw in the second round.

And the clamouring crowds following them over a course that hugs the spectacular Pacific coast near San Diego can cause as much distraction as they want to so far as Westwood is concerned.

Woods (below), Mickelson and Scott found themselves in the company not only of a huge gallery but also an army of reporters and photographers numbering more than 100 and a large squad of policeman.

Westwood said: "You could hear the cheers and you could see this migration of people around the golf course. For us it was like wandering around on a Sunday morning. It was fabulous.

"I want to thank the organisers for putting Tiger and Phil together because it was a nice, peaceful day for the rest of us out there."

Luke Donald was on course to beat Westwood to top British honours as he went to two-under after 14 holes. But in the more difficult afternoon conditions he dropped two shots in his last four holes to finish level par.

"It was a little bit disappointing to end with two bogeys but overall it was a good solid start," he said.

Oliver Wilson, the emerging British player who lost to Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez in a playoff for the BMW PGA Championship three weeks ago, finished oneover and Ross Fisher ended twoover. Otherwise it proved to be a desperately disappointing day for Europe's contenders.

Sergio Garcia and London qualifier Ross McGowan carded 76; Open champion Padraig Harrington and England ' s Ian Poulter and Nick Dougherty, who led after the first round on his debut last year, both took 78; Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Colin Montgomerie all squeezed inside 80 by one shot.

They will be fighting simply to beat the cut tonight. The rather different task confronting Hicks and Streelman is to prove they are not one - round wonders.

Streelman, a 29-year-old ranked 608 in the world, came through qualifying school to join the PGA Tour as a rookie this season, while 713th-ranked Hicks plays on the satellite Nationwide Tour.

Hicks insisted their performances should not have come as such a surprise. The 33-year-old said: "There are a lot of great young players in America, and we're all out there trying to earn our way up to playing on this big level in front of the cameras and all the media and everything else.

"But a lot of times we get lost in the shuffle because it's a difficult world down there." Woods grimaced after driving off at the final hole and the 32-year-old is clearly feeling the effects of his surgery. But he pledged to soldier on.

"It didn't feel very good," said Woods of his knee after the drive on 18. "It's a little sore. I just had to go and play. But all in all, just tee it up and go. I'm right there. I'm only four back and I'm in good shape."