The breeze is freshening at Torrey Pines. The flags that were limp at the start of play, are now almost horizontal.

Xander Schauffele from some slightly trampled down cabbage flicks a wedge on to the 17th green. He can't get any action on his ball though and it scurries through to the back edge.

Phil Mickelson, from the fairway, 115 yards, straight at the flag. He does get some action on the ball. Too much and from a kick-in birdie, he's left with a nine-footer.

Tyrrell Hatton almost gets a shot back on the par-three eighth. His 23-footer is just off though.

He and compatriot Matt Fitzpatrick then make pars on the ninth to remain well placed as they head home.

Yes, Brooks Koepka does not let Russell Henley enjoy the outright lead for long.

A superb approach to the par five 18th green left him with a gimme birdie and he moves to three under.

Disappointment for Justin Thomas who produced a couple of fine recovery shots after a poor effort from the tee but missed a six-foot birdie and has to settle for a ninth straight par.

The big winner on that hole was Collin Morikawa, though - he hit a long eagle putt to put a poor start behind him.

America's Russell Henley has put himself out in front.

The 32-year-old - playing his first US Open since 2018 - had a shaky start as he bogeyed the first but has just added his fourth birdie of the day on the 10th.

Henley landed his second shot around 12ft from the target and rolled the ball in to go three under.

It's a mixed bag for the others in his group, with Canada's Mackenzie Hughes one over par and fellow American Harris English three over.

It looks like Brooks Koepka is hot on his heels though...

Phil Mickelson has hit two out of five fairways so far. Probably about average for Lefty. Make that three out of six on the par-four 17th.

Xander Schauffele has already hit and a shout of "fore right" tells you all you need to know. As spectators duck and cover, his ball hits a cart path and bounds an extra 40 yards. He'll still be in the rough, but at least it's 40 yards further on that he would have been.

Justin Thomas is in a bit of bother on the par five 18th.

A wayward tee shot is followed by a decent recovery but he's still in the rough for his third. A par would be a good result from here.

Collin Morikawa, meanwhile, has an eagle putt - and after a poor start he could do with holing it.

Brooks Koepka is in even closer for birdie though...

Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his 51st birthday on Wednesday, is playing in his 30th US Open.

He has enough experience to know he can't continue to play this wildly and compete though. He is right and in the sand on the par-three 16th off the tee.

Xander Schauffele is playing his fifth US Open. He has finished in the top six in his previous four. And with shots like that, he'll be somewhere close again on Sunday. A doozy to five feet. Birdie time.

Mickelson has splashed out to just inside that. Straight up the hill and in for par.

On the 15th and Xander Schauffele is standing over a six-foot par putt. These are the ones that can make your tournament at a US Open.

He tugs that left straight off the bat though and the ball zips about the same distance past the other side. It's all about keeping double bogeys off your card...and Xander does just that with a confident return putt.

Phil Mickelson is also dropping a shot after taking two swipes to escape from the rough down the left.

Image source, Getty Images

Two almost length-of-the-green putts from Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas on the par-four 17th both go close but they each have to settle for par.

Brooks Koepka has the luxury of watching both, makes the necessary adjustment and sinks a lovely mid-distance effort to join the leaders on two under.

American Sahith Theegala hit the first shot of the day 90 minutes later than expected because of the fog delay.

Now the 23-year-old is leading from the front in more ways than one after a birdie on the par-three 11th.

Theegala - playing in his second US Open - was straight and true off the tee and made a 30ft putt to go two under for the day.

First blemish on Tyrrell Hatton's card today. His approach shot on the par-four seventh goes to the left of the green and he's unable to save par, his 12-foot putt falling just short.

Matt Fitzpatrick drops two shots though, after finding a greenside bunker to the right. Cruel blow after two birdies in three holes.

It's not been a great start for Collin Morikawa.

He slides a 10-foot par putt wide on the par-three 16th and that's a third bogey in his opening seven holes.

Compatriots Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas are going along more serenely, if unspectacularly.

Encouraging birdie from Matt Fitzpatrick. He makes the green in on the sixth, a par four over 519 yards, and sinks a five-footer to make it two birdies in three holes.

He goes level with fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, who makes par despite finding a greenside bunker.

And don't forget about Francesco's brother Edoardo Molinari.

The Italian has just chipped in from a bunker at the side of the 10th green to claim his third straight birdie over the turn and move back to level par.

Xander Schauffele is the latest player to reach two under par. A straightforward tap-in on the par-four 14th.

Phil Mickelson is staying at two over after a solid two-putt from 25 feet.

England's Tommy Fleetwood flies straight at the flag on the par-three 16th and duly knocks in the birdie putt from four feet.

Matthew Wolff is having a tricky spell though after a fast start. He chunks his tee shot, coming up 20 yards short of the green and then fluffs his second.

A 50 foot par putt slides three feet past. Bogey. NO! His ball stays up. Double bogey. All the good work undone in two holes.

Francesco Molinari claims a birdie on the par-four sixth to regain a share of the lead while Shane Lowry gets a shot back to repair some of the damage from his triple bogey on the fourth.

Xander Schauffele might just be joining those at the summit after hitting a pin-seeker from 135 yards to inside two feet at the par-four 15th.

Can Phil Mickelson follow him in? "Stop, stop," shouts Lefty as his ball thuds into the green and starts to spin 25 feet away from the hole.

South Korea's Si Woo Kim has made a terrific start to his US Open tilt with a couple of birdies on his first two holes.

Two pars have followed to keep him at the top of the leaderboard. He has missed the cut in his past three US Opens after finishing tied 13th on his first appearance in 2017.

That 'marine layer' that led to the start of today's play being delayed has now cleared...