Rocco Mediate plays from the rough near the sixth green. In brutal Royal Birkdale conditions, Mediate fired a 1-under 69 on Thursday to put him in a tie for the lead at the British Open in Southport, England.

Southport, England ? From sunny San Diego to bleak and blustery Royal Birkdale, the expression on Rocco Mediate’s face didn’t change.

He watched one final birdie tumble into the cup for a 1-under 69 and a three-way share of the lead in the British Open, straightened his 45-year-old back, then dropped his jaw into a smile that said, “How did that just happen?”

Others must have been wondering the same thing Thursday.

Ernie Els was playing some of his best golf in the worst of the weather until taking 45 shots on the back nine and posting an 80, his highest score in nearly two decades at his favorite major.

Phil Mickelson was up to his knees in grass right of the sixth green and never found his ball, taking a triple bogey that sent him to a 79.

Robert Allenby and Graeme McDowell, who watched on television as the early starters suffered through raging wind and stinging rain coming off an angry Irish Sea, must have wondered where all that nasty weather went as they made their way around Birkdale in tamer wind to join Mediate atop the leaderboard.

Stranger still was seeing 53-year-old newlywed Greg Norman in the hunt.

Norman made enough par-saving putts to sustain momentum and finish at 70 after Round One.