Jason Day refused to wilt mentally or play the blame game like many peers and sits three shots off the lead after the opening round of the US Open.
While Bubba Watson blamed the pace of play for his shortfalls and Sergio Garcia took to Twitter to bemoan the state of the greens at Chambers Bay, Australian world No.10 Day shrugged off his bad breaks to be in major contention once again.
Within his rights to be miffed at a horror lie in a bunker that would take him from one off the lead late in the day to three off, the Queenslander refused to bite, instead taking the positives from his two-under-68.
Joint leaders Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson enjoyed more receptive morning conditions to shoot five-under-65s.
"The biggest thing is to let it go," said Day.
"It would be great to have finished four-under but I'll take anything under par.
"This is a marathon. It's physically and mentally demanding.
"There's a lot of guys that have come into this day already frustrated at the course, not only how long it can be and how tough it can be, but you can get some good breaks and bad breaks.
"But it's only going to get tougher and tougher as the week goes on and everyone knows that. It's all about the attitude.
"It's easy to play yourself out of the tournament real quick here. Whether you make a mistake, you just have to keep pushing forward and can't give up.
"So I just have to keep myself in it and give myself a shot on Sunday. And hopefully it goes my way."
Fourteen-times major champion Tiger Woods capitulated to a disastrous 10-over-80, his worst US Open score and second-worst major championship number behind an 81 made in terrible weather at the 2003 British Open.
It left him third last in the 156-man field.
The former world No.1 was a shadow of his former self, sending shots wide right and left, leaving bunker shots in the sand, letting go of clubs and even cold topping a shot on the final hole.
American Patrick Reed sat third at four-under while countrymen Matt Kuchar, Ben Martin and amateur Brian Campbell shared fourth at three-under.
Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy shot 69 to be four off the pace and tied 14th while an ailing Adam Scott and fellow Australian Cameron Smith made solid starts with ever-par 70s.
Marcus Fraser shot 71 to be six back while fellow Australians Kurt Barnes and John Senden settled for 72s to sit in a tie for 53rd with world No.1 Rory McIlroy.
Marc Leishman rounded out the Australian tilt at three-over.
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