SAN DIEGO (AP) — The U.S. Open prides itself on being the most democratic of majors with some 9,000 players from all walks of golf having a chance to compete.

Richard Bland is an example of that.

Just over a month ago, the 48-year-old from England was 0-for-447 in his European Tour career. On Friday, he shot a 4-under 67 and walked off the South course at Torrey Pines with his name atop the leaderboard in the U.S. Open.

“A lot of guys have a lot more on the CV than I do,” Bland said. “But I’m here to compete and give it everything I’ve got.”

Bland was at 5-under 137, one shot ahead of Louis Oosthuizen, setting a target for the likes of Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele to chase in the afternoon.

This is only his fourth major — twice at Royal Birkdale in 1998 and 2017, once at Bethpage Black for the U.S. Open — and he came in on a high note.

Bland won the British Masters last month in his 478th start, making him the oldest first-time winner in European Tour history. That also was the start of a three-tournament series for the leading 10 players to get into the U.S. Open. Travel restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated the 36-hole qualifier in England.

He arrived at Torrey Pines and immediately liked what he saw.

“I was feeling pretty good about my game. I’ve been driving the ball well for five, six weeks now, which is the cornerstone if you’re going to put a fight up for a U.S. Open,” Bland said. “When I saw this place on Monday, yeah, it kind of set up to my eye. It’s all there just straight in front of me, and that’s the kind of golf course I like.”

Oosthuizen, coming off a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship, finished with two pars in the morning to cap off a 67 to share the first-round lead with Russell Henley. He didn’t get any lower in the second round and shot 71, but was right in the mix.

Henley played in the afternoon.

Jon Rahm held it together during a rough patch in the thick grass, holed out from a bunker right of the 14th green for an unlikely birdie and shot 70. He was two shots behind Bland.