"Let's have some fun" smiled US Open champion Graeme McDowell on the eve of yesterday's first round of the Grand Slam.

But there was nothing funny about Port Royal's 11th hole where the Irishman hit out of bounds, finished with triple bogey and then three-putted the next hole.

And German Martin Kaymer certainly shouldn't have been enjoying himself as he struggled to a three-over par 74.

Why Ernie Els was still smiling after driving left into the rough on 15 and pounding his tee shot right into the jungle on 17, was anybody's guess.

In fact, the only player with a grin on his face should have been last-minute replacement David Toms who tamed the immaculate Southampton course with a four-under-par 67.

Yet there were smiles all around as the star quartet walked into the clubhouse.

Els probably summed it up best.

"I think it's (Port Royal) brilliant," said the man known as The Big Easy.

"I think it's a great venue. It's close to the East Coast of the United States. I love going to Hawaii. But, I mean, I also love coming to Bermuda, believe me. It's a lot closer. Beautiful scenery. Very good golf course. The golf course is in great shape. We had a big gallery with a lot of enthusiasm. You can't ask for much more than that."

Els, of course, made miraculous escapes on the 15th and 17th to salvage par and finished with a stunning birdie on the 18th where he fired a fairway bunker shot from 112 yards to within a few feet and sunk the putt. It left him just one stroke behind leader Toms.

Kaymer, also, had no complaints despite carding a bogey-strewn 74.

"It's just stunning to be here that early in my career. So I just tried to enjoy it," commented the man who won his first major at August's PGA Championships and followed that with three straight victories on the European Tour.

"If you take it really serious . . . I'm just doing my job, you know. There are definitely more important things in life than golf. I think if you really think about it, it's a sport what we do, it's a game. You shouldn't take it too serious what you do out there.

"Obviously, you should give always a hundred percent but at the end of the day there are more important things in life than golf. You keep that in mind, then I think it's not that tough."

Europe's Ryder Cup hero McDowell, who shrugged off his triple and ended his round with birdies at 17 and 18, was still pleased with his overall performance.

"You've got to realise that, 'A', you're very lucky to be here . . . and you've got to try and enjoy yourself.

"It's a great couple of days. PGA of America look after us extremely well. You've just got to try to give the fans what they're here to see, some good golf.

"It's not like a regular golf tournament where you might beat yourself up after a triple like that. It was one bad swing really. I made a good putt on the par three, thank goodness, and that kind of kick started a decent finish to the day.

"I played pretty solid all day long. Like I say, it was a couple of swings that threw me off. But I'll be back at it tomorrow and looking forward to it."

Toms, of course, will also be looking forward to today as he carries a one-shot lead over Els.

And, like his rivals, he was impressed by the course.

"It a good golf course. Demanding off the tee," said the player who won the 2001 PGA Championship for his only major so far.

"If you want to have short shots in, you have to really drive the ball well. Not always a driver, but you have to get it in the fairway down there because the rough is very penal.

"I enjoyed playing with the guys today. We had a lot of small talk out there. The crowd seemed to enjoy the golf. Obviously, the scenery is pretty good, so it was a fun day."

As for Port Royal's signature hole, the spectacular par-three 16th, all agreed it was difficult to concentrate as they stood on the tee.

"I was just trying to enjoy that moment," said Kaymer. "Like in Pebble Beach this year at the US Open, it was similar."

"It's just beautiful," said Toms.

"I didn't realise it was so hilly here. You feel it right after the end of the round. I feel bad for the caddies.

"I think if all of us would have played this golf course a lot, there would be a lot of four caddying going on, because we don't know what to hit off the tees. All the caddies are going back and forth. It's a tough walk for them.

"It's a beautiful spot. You can kind of get caught up on the scenery out there rather than the golf. "

Perhaps the most interesting shot of the day belonged to Els on the 17th where he ended up in the rough beside a bush with virtually no shot.

After much deliberating he decided he had no option but to turn his club around and try to chip out into the fairway.

Asked if he ever practised such a shot, he replied: "No, never. My grandfather was a left-handed player. When I was really young, I tried to play left handed. But, no, it's not for me. You could see my backswing was only about a foot long. Further than that, I miss the ball."