Graeme McDowell says he's content to have opened with a two-under-par round of 69 on day one of the US Open at Pebble Beach.
It leaves the 2010 champion within four shots of leader Justin Rose ahead of teeing off his second-round tonight.
McDowell's success at Pebble Beach came at a score of level-par nine-years ago but he thinks a much better score will be needed this week.
"Yeah, I don't think level par wins this week. I really don't. I feel like the fairways are soft and they're not going to get any fierier than this, and they're spongy. Makes the fairways play a little wider, so fairways are easier to hit.
But I fully expect the greens to get firmer and faster. I really felt like the green speeds today weren't really anywhere as fast as they can be. Phil hit it 30 yards - or 30 feet past the pin on 1, for example, and that putt should have been scary fast. It just wasn't scary, scary fast.
But like I say, careful what you wish for, because I think we're going to see it come the weekend."
McDowell says he enjoyed his opening round alongside fellow former major winners Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.
A lot of fun to be back here. Obviously I mentioned earlier in the week I've been here several times now with the AT&T Pro-Am. So I kind of felt like I've done the reminiscing and the sightseeing. Well, you're always sightseeing at Pebble, but you know what I mean.
"I wasn't coming here to focus on 2010. I was coming here to try and compete this week. I feel like my game is trying to get in the right direction. I was looking for an under-the-radar grouping this week, but I didn't really get it. But in a funny way I felt nearly under the radar because, you know, Phil and Dustin were, you know -- I felt like it was all eyes on those two guys out there today, and I was just kind of plodding around, doing my thing. So that felt okay to me.
And executed really well today, tee-to-green. Made very few mistakes. Wedge play was a little off. But apart from that, I felt really comfortable on the golf course, and like I say, felt like I executed my game plan really well."
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