[ap images photo montage]Tiger Woods carried over his strong play in winning Memorial two weeks ago, with an impressive 1-under 69 at Olympic Club. [SOT/Tiger Woods/(-1) Three Shots Back]("I'm very pleased because this is the way I know I can hit the ball and the way I have been hitting the golf ball. I was able to put it together in a major championship. Now we got three more days and I'm going to need because this golf course is only going to get faster.")Playing in a group with Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson, Woods was clearly the best of the three. He stands 3 shots behind leader Michael Thompson who had 7 birdies in his 66. [SOT/Michael Thompson/(-4) U.S. Open Leader] ("I think I made five threes in a row and was just cruising and then I got a little nervous when all the cameras showed up but it's always a bit of an adjustment. In that sense I wish I was Phil or Tiger because you get the cameras from the beginning.")Woods opened his round on the ninth hole, methodically posting five pars, and was even par after 18. Birdies on 4 and 5 left him finishing the tough opening six holes at 1-under.Mickelson was in trouble from the opening shot. He yanked it into the trees and couldn't find his ball. He scrambled to a bogey, the first of five in a seven hole stretch. Mickelson finished with a 6-over 76. Masters champ Watson shot 78.[SOT/Jim Militello/Associated Press]("But day one was all about Thompson who used his past experience at Olympic club to his advantage. He finished runner up in the U.S. Amateur here in 2007. By the way, the guy that beat him Colt Knost shot 75 in round one. Covering the U.S. Open, Jim Militello, Associated Press, San Francisco.")(****END****)