US Open 2013: Phil Mickelson beats red-eye and bad weather to make strong start at Merion

World No 5 attended daughter's graduation hours before tee-off as deluge caused delays

Sergio Garcia on the way to a double-bogey on the 14th hole. The Spaniard needed uniformed officials to protect him from the crowd after his comments about Tiger Woods (EPA)

Luke Donald closed a weather-interrupted opening day with a hat-trick of birdies to lead the US Open on four under par. Donald returns this morning to complete the final five holes of his delayed first round leading by a stroke from Phil Mickelson.

Tiger Woods endured an afternoon as foul as the weather, repeatedly holding his left wrist after hitting out of Merion’s penal rough. Woods has a three-footer at the 11th to stay two over par when he returns to complete his first round.

Rain forced a suspension in play for the second time shortly after 6pm. The players were off for 40 minutes, insufficient time for Woods to turn his day around. Earlier, play was stopped for three and a half hours when the first of the day’s storms hammered into Philadelphia.

Mickelson took advantage of the suspension to catch up on some sleep after flying overnight from his daughter’s graduation in California. When play restarted just after mid-day, Mickelson ran in a 67 to lead in the clubhouse.

Lee Westwood, playing beautifully, might have closed on three under had he not clattered the basket on the top of the pin with his approach at the 11th, resulting in a double bogey six to take him back to one under.

Rory McIlroy fell back to level par with a bogey at the 11th after electing to putt out in the gloaming. Play resumes at 6.55am local time today.

Luke Donald closed a weather-interrupted opening day with a hat-trick of birdies to lead the US Open on four under par. Donald returns this morning to complete the final five holes of his delayed first round leading by a stroke from Phil Mickelson.

Tiger Woods endured an afternoon as foul as the weather, repeatedly holding his left wrist after hitting out of Merion’s penal rough. Woods has a three-footer at the 11th to stay two over par when he returns to complete his first round.

Rain forced a suspension in play for the second time shortly after 6pm. The players were off for 40 minutes, insufficient time for Woods to turn his day around. Earlier, play was stopped for three and a half hours when the first of the day’s storms hammered into Philadelphia.

Mickelson took advantage of the suspension to catch up on some sleep after flying overnight from his daughter’s graduation in California. When play restarted just after mid-day, Mickelson ran in a 67 to lead in the clubhouse.

Lee Westwood, playing beautifully, might have closed on three under had he not clattered the basket on the top of the pin with his approach at the 11th, resulting in a double bogey six to take him back to one under.

Rory McIlroy fell back to level par with a bogey at the 11th after electing to putt out in the gloaming. Play resumes at 6.55am local time today.