SOUTHPORT, England, July 17 (UPI) -- U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate shot 1-under-par 69 Thursday and is one of three players leading the British Open golf tournament after 18 holes.
Mediate needed birdies on the last two holes to join Robert Allenby and Graeme McDowell at the end of a day filled with rainy and windy weather conditions at the difficult Royal Birkdale course in Southport, England.
"I was like everyone else, trying to survive," Mediate admitted. "All of sudden, a couple things happen. It was just survival and by no means pretty."
Three others -- 53 year-old Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Bart Bryant -- share fourth place at even-par 70.
The conditions led to enormous scores by a host of well-known veterans, including world No. 3 Geoff Ogilvy (5-over 77), Phil Mickelson (7-over 79), Ernie Els (8-over 80) and Vijay Singh (8-over 80).
The tournament's 1985 winner Sandy Lyle withdrew after playing just nine holes, making his 33rd British Open appearance the shortest of his career.
