Harrington battles on through the pain

Harrington struggled at first, dropping two shots in his first four holes.

"I wasn't releasing the club on my right side," he said. "I just wasn't committed and I missed a number of shots right early on. But once I was into the back nine I think I hit the ball well.

"With the weather it was a real grind out there and that definitely kept the mind focused. You can't let up for a second and there was no time to think about anything but your next shot.

"Another day to rest and it should be better tomorrow. I'm quite sure I haven't played my way out of the tournament."

Playing partner Goosen acknowledged: "Padraig played extremely well, he putted really well."

The 39-year-old South African played well himself, considering he was woken at two o'clock this morning when the rain first hit the Lancashire coastline.

When he got to the course Goosen, twice a winner of the US Open, decided the weather was so bad he would restrict his warm-up to hitting just 20 balls and a few putts. "They were tough conditions," he said. "The ball was going nowhere in the wind."

Significantly, Goosen's victory in the 2004 US Open came when the rest of the field had been beaten up by testing conditions. He said: "I'm not very comfortable on golf courses where you have to shoot 20 under par to win.

"I certainly don't mind tough conditions. I sort of feel that maybe half the field is not trying any more because of the conditions. So if you grind away you're not going to be far off the lead."

Others had little to smile about. World No2 Phil Mickelson had lost his ball, 1989 champion Mark Calcavecchia had lost his temper and all over Royal Birkdale golfers were losing all hope.

Tiger Woods, watching on television at his home in Florida, must have thought he was in the best place as he recovered from the knee surgery that forced him to miss his first Open since 1995.

Significantly, neither the absence of the world's best golfer or the atrocious weather appeared to have had an effect on the gate as spectators in their thousands trudged over the rolling links. Alas, for those supporting home players there was little to cheer. Graeme McDowell, winner of the Scottish Open on Sunday, was one over approaching the turn while Ian Poulter was in the clubhouse on two over with Colin Montgomerie keeping him company on three over.

That was encouraging for the 45-year-old Scot who came to Birkdale suffering a slump that had sent him tumbling down to 81st place in the world rankings.

Montgomerie is still chasing his maiden major but a more realistic target this week is the kind of result that would lift him back into the reckoning for a place in Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup team.

Harrington's decision to play proved an initial disappointment for Heath Slocum, the first reserve. But the withdrawal of Japan's Toru Taniguchi with a back injury gave the American a chance which he grabbed, turning in one-over par.

A remarkable performance was returned by David Duval, whose career went into freefall after he won the Open at Royal Lytham six years ago.

In 12 events on the US PGA tour this season the American was a combined 95 over par and had made just one cut. Yet today he rose to the challenge and he will resume tomorrow on three over.

Ernie Els will have to battle to beat the cut. The former champion came in an horrendous 10 over with Vijay Singh on the same mark. Paul Casey, who dropped five shots in five holes approaching the turn, eventually carded an eight-over 78, one better than Mickelson.

Calcavecchia, winner at Royal Troon in 1989, was in trouble before the start.

He came to the first tee with a face like thunder after his wife Brenda pulled out of carrying his bag.

It didn't help when the American veteran's replacement caddie handed him a club with a wet grip and then failed to spot where his tee shot disappeared into thick rough.