Ernie Els off to steady start of 70

Respect was the watchword for twice champion Ernie Els during the U.S. Open first round on Thursday.

"This golf course forces respect out of you," said the smooth-swinging South African, after recovering from a poor start at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to stay in early contention with a level-par 70.

"It's a great course and the way the USGA (United States Golf Association) has set it up, you can't be too aggressive."

Par-70 Shinnecock Hills is a links-style layout with fast-running and undulating fairways, heavily contoured greens and thick rough.

Although the whipping winds that can play havoc with golfers on the eastern end of New York's Long Island were absent on Thursday, tight pin positions provided an equally daunting challenge.

"They set it up very tough," said Els, who replaced Vijay Singh earlier this month as world number two after winning the Memorial Tournament.

"I knew they would after last year (at Olympia Fields outside Chicago) when we got lucky with the weather and we shot some good numbers.

"You have to keep the ball in play and that's the whole story. If you don't, you're in big trouble," added Els, who is affectionately known as the 'Big Easy'.

"Plus you've got to play away from 50 percent of the holes. You can't go at the pins, but that's the way they got it."

The three-times major winner, who would take over as the world's top-ranked player should he clinch his third U.S Open crown on Sunday with Tiger Woods finishing outside the top six, teed off at the 10th.

He double-bogeyed 11 and then dropped another shot on 12 before rallying with birdies on 14, 17, one and five. His only other blemish on the day was a bogey-five at the 435-yard fourth.

"I kept the ball in play most of the day, but I didn't have a very good start," said Els, who has a distinguished record in the U.S. Open with six top-10 finishes in 11 starts.

"I was three over through three holes and had to battle back to even par.

"Overall, though, I felt I played well. This course is very firm, very fast. It's almost like Royal St George's last year (venue for the 2003 British Open)."