U.S. Open
FARMINGDALE -- This isn't shaping up as the most gratifying week for the USGA. Most of Thursday's round was washed out by rain. They badly missed on their forecast later that day. Then they got murdered in the New York media for their ticket policy -- and modified it later.
Now they're sure to be criticized for the scores going too low for an Open at Bethpage Black. Ricky Barnes, a nobody on the PGA Tour, set a two-round record for low score at 132. Lucas Lover shot 64 in the second round and was a shot back. Mike Weir shot 64 in his first round.
We're not supposed to see scores like this in the Open, unless it's Johnny Miller or Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods. Someone named Azuma Yano shot 65 in the second round. Gary Woodland, a Tour rookie who has missed 10 cuts in 16 tries, shot 66.
Woodland's name is directly above Tiger Woods' on the scoreboard. At first, I thought they'd put his score in the wrong spot. Woods is plugging along at 4-over par. Tiger hasn't had much luck. He played in the rain Thursday, struggled to a 74 early Friday, before the course dried out, then had to wait 24 hours to get back today.
Woods missed some of the most favorable conditions you'll ever see at an Open. He's not in any great danger of missing the cut -- projected at 147 -- but he's 12 shots off the lead and has a lot of ground to make up.
They say the U.S. Open is the toughest layout in golf because they're trying to identify the best golfers. I hardly think they had Barnes, Woodland, Yano and Glover in mind. Unless some of the big names make a run, this is going to be one forgettable Open.
Oh, and someone just came in the media room and said he felt the first rain drop of the day. It's expected to be brutal before long.
