Justin Rose hits best opening round in this year's US Open at Pebble Beach

Backers of Justin Rose to be first-round leader at the US Open were delighted when the Englishman carded an opening 65 at Pebble Beach.

Rose, who claimed the Major in 2013, dropped just one shot having been 35-1 to head into the second round at the top of the leaderboard.

He finished a shot in front of former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and the American trio of Aaron Wise, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele.

In all, 39 players among the field of 156 completed the first 18 holes under par, including three-time winner Tiger Woods, who accompanied Rose on his round alongside Jordan Spieth.

Woods won by a record 15 shots when the US Open was held at Pebble Beach in 2000, recovered well from a double-bogey five on the fifth after his tee shot went left and bounced hideously out of position after landing on a cartpath.

Successive birdies immediately after that error helped him finish with a one-under-par 70.

Spieth, who won the tournament in 2015, hit a one-over-par 72 and had his work cut out to extend a run of three successive top-ten finishes after the three-time Major winner slipped to 39th in the world rankings.

Those who backed a hole in one in the tournament did not have long to collect as Rory Sabbatini aced the 202-yard 12th.

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