Queenslander Adam Scott staved off the effects of a virus today to keep his US Open hopes alive.
The former world No.1 admitted that he battled body aches and dehydration throughout his opening even-par 70 – a round he was delighted to have both achieved and ended.
"I wasn't feeling 100 per cent at all today so I am very happy to get out with even par,” Scott said.
"I had a fever last night and it was rough but luckily it being a bit overcast and just being out there was a blessing I think because I feel better now than I did yesterday afternoon and I think I may have sweated it all out now.
"My body was aching this morning and I did well to get it around."
Starting on the 10th, Scott opened his tilt with a 1m birdie and was soon two under with another birdie on the 12th.
But pumping himself full of electrolytes and water on almost every hole kept him out of rhythm as he was forced to make several toilet breaks.
A couple of missed birdie chances on 13 and 14 were compounded by a bogey on the 15th and a pulled birdie putt from 3m on the 18th was further rued when he made bogey on the first.
But the 34-year-old managed to get back in red figures by making birdie on the second and looked set to be under par until a final-hole bogey.
"I am right where I want to be because I am pretty sure on Sunday (that) even par will be pretty close so I've got three tough days ahead of me to grind it out," Scott said.
"Hopefully I will be fine tomorrow.”
Scott said he was happy to have minimised the damage of any errant shots.
"Although it was great scoring conditions today and I had it under par, it’s still not easy and it is a four-round tourney.
“I wasn't going to win it today but I could have lost it so I think I am in good shape.
“It was a good day to take advantage and I set myself up for it, but just let a couple slip with a couple of poor shots, but it was pretty good stuff overall.
“The most important thing when you get in trouble is to make a bogey – bogeys aren’t going to lose you the tournament, racking up doubles does.
“A couple of times today I was in pretty bad shape – on the first hole and the ninth – but managed to get out of it with just bogey so my score looks pretty respectable.
“And that’s always important at the US Open.”
Scott, whose world ranking slide to No.12 has been largely the byproduct of an icy cold putter, said he felt better over his flat stick today.
“I putted well today, absolutely,” said Scott, who said earlier this week he’d realigned his putting stance to curb the issues.
“I hit a tonne of good putts. On 18 it just bounced left straight away and it looks pretty horrible when you miss the hole by six inches when you are pretty close, but it is going to happen here and you just have to be patient this week and not let that kind of thing bother you.”
He even got one back on the 2nd, his 11 hole, with a 12m bomb.
“Those are the bonuses. Once you get outside that 15 foot range you cant be too aggressive on these greens because you don’t want to leave yourself a lot of five and six footers.
“They are not the smoothest and that can make for a long day as you can hit a lot of good putts that won’t go in from there. You just have to be careful and patient.”
Scott said it was great to reunite the old combination with caddie Steve Williams, back on the bag for three major championships and a WGC event after “retiring” last year.
“It was really good,” Scott said.
“This is his kind of course and his style.
“To think it around there it is a good challenge and I think we are in for a good week.”
Scott joked that Williams was as fit as he ever was despite the challenges of the hilly Chambers Bay layout and the Kiwi’s extended absence.
“He would never admit he was feeling sore,” Scott said with a broad smile.