Louis Oosthuizen with a very presentable chance for birdie at nine after that heat-seeker of a tee shot at the par three.

It is not quite the gimme that I thought it was though and he slides by.

The ball stays upstairs and the South African can look back on a three-under front nine and wonder if it could have been something even better.

Phil Mickelson is not having much fun either.

The US Open is the only major missing from the American's mantelpiece. But he is not going to fill that gap this weekend.

He was five-over for the front nine today and is now eight over and surely out of contention.

Image source, Getty Images

Justin Rose has been snared by Robert Trent Jones Jr's mantrap of a course.

The Englishman - a US Open winner two years ago - has opened up with a dropped-shot sandwich - bogies on three and six with a two-over six on five for filling.

That puts him up at six over. Ugly scenes and his next round and a half are effectively going to be glorified practice, barring barnstorming run.

Image source, EPA

Drop and roll! Drop and roll!

Louis Oosthuizen is a man on fire.

The South African arrows a four iron straight at the pin on the par-three ninth. It locks on like an exocet, but is just going a little too fast, hopping out via the flagpole.

That is surely a birdie in the post though and a pass to one under for the tournament.

Louis Oosthuizen stands over a very makeable birdie putt at eight. If this goes down he will move to four under for the day and one under for the tournament.

It trails just wide of the chute from four feet.

But his round is showing that good scoring is possible today.

Jenni in Newtownards: There are a couple of pairings that could get each other going and put together a low round and make a serge up the leaderboard on 'Moving Day' at the US Open. Els/Snedeker, Molinari/Scott and Dufner/Kuchar look like the most likely to make a positive move.

So, who is going to come out of the pack to mount a challenge today?

Never mind if they are going to win it or not, it is all about the glory of burning bright even if you then fade away.

Let us know via #bbcgolf, , external81111 on text from UK phones and the BBC Sport Facebook page., external

Image source, Getty Images

Lee Westwood is stuck in reverse at the moment.

The Englishman - who has been vocal in his criticism of the course set-up and the fluctuating yardage and pars on holes - has bogied the first, second and fourth.

He lies five over after five holes today.

American duo Matt Kuchar and Jason Dufner have just got their rounds under way off the first tee.

Some of the big names still to come include:

Henrik Stenson (-1) at 21:33 BST

Jason Day (-2) at 21:55 BST

Dustin Johnson (-4) at 22:39 BST

and, at five under, joint leaders Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed at 22:50 BST.

-5 Spieth (US), Reed (US), -4 Grace (SA), D Johnson (US) -3 Luiten (Ned), Finau (US), Summerhays (US), Martin (US)

Selected others E P Casey (Eng) 1, +3 Rose (Eng) 4, McIlroy (NI) 14 +4 Donald (Eng) 11, +5 Westwood (Eng) 4; Poulter (Eng) 17 +7:Mickelson (US) 8, Montgomerie (Sco) F.

For a full leaderboard, click this way., external

Patrick Reed has arrived at Chambers Bay.

The top players are tracked from the car park into the complex by television cameras - some do a bit of clowning, most raise at least a hand and token smile.

Not Reed.

The San Antonio native is keeping to his home state's motto "Don't Mess with Texas"., external

He strides in, earphones firmly in place and female companion trailing in his wake, showing not even a flicker of emotion.

He and fell joint leader Jordan Speith get their rounds under way at 22:50 BST.

Image source, AP

So, who in the words of Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie is "movin' on up" and "getting out of the darkness" of mid-field.

Well, world number one Rory McIlroy, beginning the day on +4, nibbled back a couple of shots on the front nine to get the imagination churning. But he has slipped back to +3 with five holes to go.

The lowest score on the course right now is South African 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen. His -3 day - with only six holes played - has shunted him to level par overall.

Those -5 leading marks of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed are looking like an excellent couple of day's work.

Image source, AP

And it is a day for the early birds.

The backmarkers have got the first use of Chambers Bay today, with joint leaders Jordon Spieth and Patrick Reed not out until 22:50 BST.

The greenkeepers have been busy, splashing some much-needed water about the course overnight.

The greens are more responsive, the awkward bounces are less pronounced and the putts are less breakneck.

The field is already tightly packed. We may be in for a grandstand massed finish on Sunday if the conditions play out as we expect.

Image source, Getty Images

You have signed on the dotted line (in the scorer's hut).

You've loaded up your bag (with the regulation 14 clubs).

Now, it is time to find out which of these likely-looking characters is going to going to swipe the USGA's family silver.

Welcome to moving day.