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A quick look round some of the other Brits. England's Ian Poulter has birdied the fourth and is back to one over, while compatriot Lee Westwood has bogeyed 13, 14 and 15 after opening with three pars and is three over. Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and Englishman Luke Donald are both two over, while Scotland's Stephen Gallacher is three over after six.

America's Rich Berberian Jr is propping up the field. He had a 13-over-par 83 earlier in the day. Four double bogeys and five bogeys.

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Tiger Woods may not be the force he once was, but the American is a man with a plan. He says he must endure short-term pain to become a dominant force once again. The 39-year-old, 14-time major winner, now ranked a career low 195th in the world, has made a series of changes to his swing in recent years and believes it will not be long before he sees the benefits.

"It's short-term suffering for long-term gain," said Woods, who carded the worst score (85) and four-round total (302) of his career at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio earlier this month. "Sometimes you have to make a shift and I did. When I've made changes in the past I've struggled through it. I've come out on the good side. I had to make a commitment and I have.

"At Memorial, I made another baseline shift, just like I did pre-Masters. And it's rough going through it. Obviously I've got to do it in front of the world and sometimes it's tough. I've got to suck it up and do it.

The screams, whoops and hollers aside the sixth green are reduced to hushed whispers as Tiger Woods pulls his four-foot par putt and that's another shot gone. Four over par. After six holes.

Any guesses what Paul Casey will shoot on the 16th? He's gone bogey, par, birdie, par, birdie, par for his opening six holes.

Up on the 18th, Danny Willett of England smashes a fairway wood on to the back level of the green and he's got a dozen feet for eagle. He's one under through eight holes.

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Brian Campbell, a 22-year-old American amateur is off to a terrific start. Birdies on 11 and 12 and he is at two under after three.

Back to the trials and tribulations of Tiger. He's checked the putt from behind the ball, behind the hole, to the left, to the right. He sets up and strokes the putt 10 feet to the right but it's not enough borrow and he's got a short par putt.

Andrew Priestley: Stenson playing beautifully. His iron play is among the best in the world, couple that with a hot putter and he is very dangerous.

Mark Yates: I went for Matsuyama and Adam Scott, both e/w... nearly followed my heart for Monty too, he couldn't, could he?!

Oli Poole: Camilo Villegas just took 4 shots to get out of bunker at the US Open. I did that last weekend. Pleased I've reached the standard!

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Big screams, whoops and hollers from the side of the sixth green alerts us to Tiger Woods's approach. There's suddenly a spring in his step as the ball finds the heart of the green. Most players wouldn't get a reception like that if they got within five feet, never mind 25 as Tiger's did. He's still the big draw.

All sorts of nonsense on the 12th for Colombia's Camilo Villegas. We find him in the greenside bunker for one - it's a driveable par-four remember. He's got a rules official with him and they are dropping and re-dropping the ball. Eventually he takes a swipe and his ball comes back to rest in the sandy hole he's just made.

A couple of more swipes follow before he finally gets it out with his fourth attempt. A triple bogey seven and he drops from two under to one over just like that. Who said the 12th was an eagle-fest?

BBC Radio 5 live

BBC Radio 5 Live's Christopher Jones at Chambers Bay: "Colin Montgomerie was delighted on the whole with his day's work: 'Today's 69 was super. To be out there and break 70 was more than I was expecting.'

The U.S. senior open champion added he was taking inspiration from Tom Watson's performance at Turnberry in 2009: 'If Tom Watson can do what he did at 59, that's given everybody over 50 hope,' the Scot added."

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Aye. A special one-under-par 69 for Colin Montgomerie today. Perhaps the finest golfer never to win a major? Now there's a statement.

The finest golfer to win 14 majors rolls in his par putt. It was a bit closer than four feet on further inspection but putts of that length are no longer the certainties they once were for Mr Woods.

Alan Milne in North Somerset: Not much mention of Monty's great round today! Maybe there's still time for his 1st major!!

Tiger Woods has a lengthy birdie putt on the fifth. It's close but not close enough and he's got a four-foot knee-knocker coming back. On the sixth, Justin Rose out of the long grass and he's coming up short and in the sand. Playing partners Jordan Spieth and Jason Day from the short stuff both find the green.

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Paul Casey is one of 32 players currently under par after picking up his second birdie of the day on the par-four 14th. The Englishman is one under. Scotland's Jimmy Gunn is also at one under after a birdie on the 11th. And we all know what hole is coming next, so he'll be at three under in a minute then...

On the back of Gavin's tweet, who are you backing? Will Tiger turn his fortunes around or will his week be cut short? And what do you make of this course? Does your local municipal have better greens? You can get in touch via text on 81111 or tweet #bbcgolf

Gavin Walker: Normally look for Stenson in any tournament but didn't give the man a moments thought today! How wrong was I?!?!

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Theodore Ernest Els, winner of the US Open in 1994 and 1997, is level after seven. One birdie, one bogey and five pars for the Big Easy.

He's not the top South African out on the course. Branden Grace holds that honour. He is two under after five holes, having been one of the eight men to eagle the par-four 12th.

Managing editor of PGATour.com Mike McAllister on Twitter:, external Eight eagles recorded thus far in Rd. 1. None on the two par-5 holes. All eight at the drivable par-4 12th.

No such problems for Ben Martin. The world number 54 is three under after three holes. A birdie at the 11th was followed by an eagle at the par-four 12th. And from nowhere the American is tied fourth.

Ian Poulter implores his ball to "go all the way up that ridge" on the fourth. It does and he's got a 30-footer for birdie. He's settled down a bit with a brace of pars after his double bogey opening.

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Tiger out with the flatstick from off the front of the fourth green - is that an indication of how he is feeling about his chipping, which has been problematic in recent months? Regardless, that's a decent effort and he's got half a dozen feet for par.

But the American's woes continue. His putt is on line but it's short, by an inch. He taps in one handed, collects his ball and wanders off shaking his head. Three over after four holes.

For those of you wondering what's happening to Tiger, he's prowling in the sand to the right of the fourth fairway after another wayward drive. He smashes the ball up towards the edge of the green but he's got work to do again to save par.

Up on the driveable par-four 12th and America's Gary Woodland hits an absolute peach. The ball skips up the right side of the green before curling round off the bank and settling 10 feet beyond the pin - big eagle chance.