Mike Weir took full advantage of the improving conditions at Bethpage Black to card a six-under-par 64 and open up a two stroke lead over the rest of the field following the opening round of the US Open.
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Torrential rain at the New York venue led to play being abandoned after three hours on Thursday and as a result there was a blanket restart when play finally resumed on Friday.
A brighter day greeted players at the famous Black course of Bethpage State Park and those already on the course took advantage to improve on their scores. However, as conditions improved it was the afternoon starters that felt the full benefit with birdies creeping onto the score board.
Weir, starting on the tenth tee, enjoyed the best of the conditions with four birdies on his first nine and his superb form continued with a further two birdies at the third and fourth holes.
A 63 looked to be on the cards for the Canadian until he missed the green and three-putted the par four sixth, his 15th of the day. However, he recovered with birdies at the closing two holes to sign for a brilliant 63
Sweden's Peter Hanson would have struggled to play on Thursday due to a slight injury, but he looked in superb form as he reached the turn at three-under.
A fourth birdie followed at the par-four first only for him to drop shots at the fifth and seventh. He did not reflect on the bogeys and regained the shots at his closing two holes for a superb four-under 66.
Having booked his place at Bethpage Black via the qualifiers, former Major winner David Duval recovered from two early dropped shots to shoot a three-under 67, the same score as Todd Hamilton and Ricky Barnes.
Rocco Mediate, beaten by Tiger Woods in a play-off 12 months ago, started brightly with a two-under 68 to sit four strokes adrift of Weir.
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell had found himself as the early clubhouse leader, along with Drew Weaver, following his one-under-par 69.
With tremendous support behind him, American Phil Mickelson, whose wife Amy has been diagnosed with breast cancer, also carded an opening 69.
Mickelson was greeted by a huge roar as he stepped up onto his tenth tee and each of his shots garnered a similar reaction, especially as he moved to one-under with a birdie at the 11th. Three further birdies followed to move to three-under but he tired over the closing holes, dropping two shots, to sign for a 69.
Lucas Glover, David Tomes and Sean O'Hair are also on one-under, a stroke clear of 12 players, including England's Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher and Sergio Garcia.
World number one Woods managed to claw his way back from two-over following the resumption of play, but he double-bogeyed the 15th before dropping shots at the 16th and 18th.
He finished in a share of 79th, while triple Major winner Padraig Harrington could only manage a six-over-par 76.
Elsewhere, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy signed for a 72, while Paul Casey struggled to a five-over 75.