Mark Officer Golf

Ricky Barnes is the overnight and second round leader of the 2009 US Open being played at the Bethpage Black course in New York. After a second round five under 65 Barnes leads by one from Lucas Glover and two from first round leader Mike Weir. Sixteen players are yet to tee off in the third round after a deluge hit the course late in the afternoon.  The course became unplayable and even though there was about an hours light left the USGA called the players off the course in very dark conditions with Tiger Woods having played one hole and standing at 3 over par for the tournament. I can’t see Tiger being a factor in the championship from this position because he is too far back and has too many people in front of him. Also he is struggling with his putting and he would need to start making some putts pretty quickly to build some momentum. Of the top ranked players perhaps Englands Lee Westwood is in the best position at two under and six strokes back. He must feel that this is his turn in a major championship after missing out on a playoff in last years event by a shot after being a major factor throughout the last round. Ricky Barnes is the surprise leader as he has not exactly set the PGA Tour on fire so far this year. His two-day total of 132 is the lowest for two opening rounds in U.S. Open history and it leaves him one stroke ahead of Lucas Glover and two up on Mike Weir. Barnes had never broken 70 in 10 previous rounds at the season’s second major.  “Pretty stress free,” was Barnes’ assessment, and the numbers bore him out. He’s been extremely steady this week, hitting all but five greens and 19 of 28 fairways. He’s only made one bogey, too, and that came on the 10th hole in the first round. “It’s pretty cool,” Barnes said. “At the beginning of the week you didn’t think that score was out there. Obviously with some tees moved up and the soft greens helped it out … And obviously my ball striking was the most probably impressive part of the first 36 holes.
“… If you would have told me I would have been 8 under and only one-shot lead, I would have said, “You’re kidding me,” but I’ll take it.  It was solid play.  And I’m happy with in the position.” I like one of these three guys to be the champion tomorrow night if play does get completed – Sean O’Hair, Steve Stricker or Lee Westwood. If it is a marathon day tomorrow then those guys will dodge the media spotlight and hype and will be able to go about the job without being in the last groups in the final round. If the USGA hope to finish tomorrow they will have to keep the same pairings as for the third round because waiting for everyone to finish the third round and then making a new draw will delay proceedings.

1	-	Ricky Barnes	-8		-	67	65	-	-	132
2	-	Lucas Glover	-7		-	69	64	-	-	133
3	-	Mike Weir	-6		-	64	70	-	-	134
T4	-	David Duval	-3		-	67	70	-	-	137
T4	-	Peter Hanson	-3		-	66	71	-	-	137
T4	-	Azuma Yano	-3		-	72	65	-	-	137
T7	-	Lee Westwood	-2		-	72	66	-	-	138
T7	-	Ross Fisher	-2		-	70	68	-	-	138
T7	-	Todd Hamilton	-2		-	67	71	-	-	138
T7	-	Sean O’Hair	-2		-	69	69	-	-	138
T7	-	Nick Taylor(a)	-2		-	73	65	-	-	138
T12	4	Oliver Wilson	-1		-	70	70	-	-	140
T12	4	Hunter Mahan	-1		-	72	68	-	-	140
T12	-	Phil Mickelson	-1		-	69	70	-	-	139
T12	-	Steve Stricker	-1		-	73	66	-	-	139
T12	-	Gary Woodland	-1		-	73	66	-	-	139

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