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Graeme McDowell posted a one-under-par 69 in the first round of the US Open at Bethpage Black to take a share of the early clubhouse lead before improving conditions saw several players go past him.

McDowell had started his round with a pair of early bogeys in Thursday's heavy rain, but found better form on a dry Friday morning at Bethpage to spring to the top of the leaderboard thanks to three birdies.

The Ulsterman felt conditions had improved significantly, however, and accurately prophesied that he would be overtaken at the top of the leaderboard by the end of the day.

"Fair play to the organisers, the course was in great shape considering the rain," he said. "I fully expect someone to go out and shoot three or four under."

McDowell, who shared the early clubhouse lead with American amateur Drew Weaver, felt that his top-10 finish at the St Jude Classic had given him a good platform to play well on Long Island.

"Confidence is everything," he said," and momentum is key... I've been playing this event for four or five years now and I try and learn from every experience.

"There's a long way to go, I know we'll be tested. It's a case of conserving energy."

Weaver, the 2007 US Amateur champion and a student at Virginia Tech university during the horrific massacre a couple of years ago, balanced five birdies with four bogeys for his round to share the lead ahead of a group of players on level par.

Those players included England's Ian Poulter, who played steady golf to continue his solid showing in the Majors.

"It's nice to play some good golf," said Poulter. "But it's extremely soft out there and we're hitting some very long clubs into greens."

Poulter complained about the soft sand in the bunkers leading to plugged lies, but on being told that the USGA wanted bunkers to be more penal changed his tune.

"If that's their aim," he said, "then they have done an absolutely fantastic job!"

World number one Tiger Woods was flying high on the leaderboard after birdies on the 11th and 14th got him to level par, but two bogeys and a double bogey in his last four holes undid his good work as he dropped back to a four-over-par 74.

Woods, however, felt that he was still well in contention - particularly since he felt that conditions could challenge later starters by getting increasingly muddy.

"I wouldn't want to be back out there right now," said the 14-times Major winner.

"If it dries out a bit more it's going to get interesting, because you'll really start getting a lot of mud balls. The guys who start late today and early tomorrow could really have trouble."

Toby Keel / Eurosport