SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. - Now the real U.S. Open can begin.

Thursday was the day for surprises: The 50-year-old sharing the lead with the guy who couldn't even break par in a practice round at Shinnecock Hills. Not far behind, a mini-tour hanger-on who almost turned in his clubs a couple of weeks ago - and the feared ocean wind that wasn't.

Jay Haas, Shigeki Maruyama and David Roesch had the spotlight in the opening round, but all the elements were in place for this tournament to take a more conventional course.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson was right there. So were Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, both positioned to knock Tiger Woods out of the top spot in the world rankings. And it's never wise to count out Woods, determined to break an 0-for-7 slump in the majors.

"There's an awful long way to go," Woods said.

Mickelson and 56 others were bumped off the links-style course when fog enveloped the course Thursday evening. He returned early this morning to finish a 2-under-par 68.

"Not too bad," Mickelson said, beginning the second round only two strokes behind co-leaders Haas and Maruyama.

Ditto for Singh, who got in the last four holes of his round and also shot 68.

Els, a two-time Open champion, was off to a miserable start - 3 over through three holes, including a double-bogey at No. 11 (his second hole). But he recovered with some terrific wedge play and a few timely putts and gladly signed for 70.

"After my start, I played the golf course in 3-under par," Els said. "I felt I played well."

Woods needed to save par five times from bunkers - and once for his only birdie - in a pedestrian round of 72. It was the fourth straight time he failed to shoot par or better in the first round of a major. And he's never won any tournament when starting out over par.

If that doesn't change, his winless streak in the majors will go to eight after a 7-of-11 run from 1999-02.

"It's never going to stay that way," Woods said. "I had a great stretch where I played fantastic golf."

No one who got through 18 holes Thursday played better than Haas and Maruyama.

Two weeks removed a runner-up finish in the Senior PGA Championship, Haas took advantage of a surprisingly calm day, the lack of wind providing a good chance to go low.

With birdies at both par 3s on the back nine, Haas shot a 66 that left him tied for the clubhouse lead with Maruyama.

"I'm hitting the ball longer than I ever have. I feel more confident with my putting, my chipping," Haas said. "But until I win, I won't say it's the best I've played."

Haas, whose last victory came in 1993, went back on the course to watch his 22-year-old son, Bill, an amateur qualifier. The youngster was no match for the old man - 3 over with a hole left.

"Most kids can beat their dads," Bill said, "but I can't."

Maruyama isn't a fan of the Open, with its rock-hard greens and high rough. But it sure didn't show.

"I just tried to get even par today," the Japanese star said. "Through the practice round, I never hit under par here. I wasn't very aggressive."

That proved to be a smart plan. Maruyama stayed away from bogey and surged to the top of the leaderboard with a 60-foot birdie putt on No. 10 and a tee shot on the 11th that stopped 3 feet from the hole.

Angel Cabrera of Argentina also was 4 under with two holes to play, but the biggest surprise in the early going Friday was Corey Pavin, who won the Open the last time it was held at Shinnecock Hills nine years ago.

Pavin hasn't won anywhere since 1996, but he wrapped up a 67 Friday morning. Once again, the dreaded winds were staying away. Instead, bright sun and thick, muggy air covered eastern Long Island.

David Duval wasn't concerned about the weather - or the scoreboard.

Playing for the first time in seven months, the world's former No. 1 was tied for the lead at one point - the first hole - but eventually unraveled off the tee. He finished with an 83, matching his worst score as a professional.

Duval didn't care. He hasn't won in three years and only wanted to have some fun.

"I would call it an enormous victory for me today," Duval said. "I can't wait for tomorrow."

Some guys wish Thursday had never ended.

Roesch considered giving up golf after failing to qualify for a Nationwide Tour event in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Then he went out and qualified for the Open, which left him in tears and provided a new sense of purpose.

It showed when he birdied four of his first six holes, and he walked off in a large group at 68.

"I don't know if it's hit me yet," said Roesch, a 30-year-old from Wisconsin who plays the Hooters Tour. "I don't know if I want to wake up or not."

Kris Cox, a PGA Tour rookie making his first appearance in the U.S. Open, also kept his name on the leaderboard throughout the day, shooting a 68.

"A year ago this time I was playing the Gateway Tour," Cox said. "Actually, I was hurrying to get done to watch the Open."

Joining them was Kevin Stadler - son of 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler - along with Jeff Maggert, British Open champion Ben Curtis, Skip Kendall and Steve Flesch.

But Shinnecock Hills was missing the one element that sharpens its teeth - whipping wind that makes it difficult to find the fairway and keep the ball on the green.

"The easiest day," Pavin said Thursday, "you'll ever see out here."

And one that was full of surprises.