SAN FRANCISCO - American Nick Watney vaulted up the US Open leaderboard when he holed out from the fairway for a rare albatross two at the par-five 17th in Thursday's opening round.

Watney, a four-times PGA Tour champion, used a five-iron from 190 yards to record the (three-under-par) double-eagle on a tricky day for scoring on the fast-running Lake Course at Olympic Club.

His albatross, the second this year in major championships, lifted him from three over to even par for the round after he had teed off from the ninth hole.

Two months ago, South African Louis Oosthuizen recorded a double-eagle two at the par-five second during the final round of the Masters, where he went on to lose a playoff to American Bubba Watson.