US Open Thread

[Thomkal]

Lots of stories going into this one-the longest par 4 in US Open history (longer than one of the par 5's) the crazy NY fans adding a lot of atmosphere, Tiger going for back to back US Opens, at a place he's already won one at, all the drama with Phil Mickleson's wife and her upcoming battle with cancer...etc. But I'm wondering if they are even going to get the tournament in at this point. Already a lot of rain this month and finally too much for the course to handle today. And more expected throughout the weekend. I wonder how far into next week they would go if they just can't get back on the course these next couple days.

I of course am pulling for Coastal Carolina's own Dustin Johnson, one of the longest hitters on tour which certainly will help at Bethpage, and winner of a rain shortened tournament already this year at a former US Open course, Pebble Beach.

[Big Fo]

Yep more rain is expected for the weekend, is there anyway the US Open gets cut to 54 holes if somehow they can't finish 72 holes by Monday/Tuesday?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Yep more rain is expected for the weekend, is there anyway the US Open gets cut to 54 holes if somehow they can't finish 72 holes by Monday/Tuesday?

I don't think they've ever shortened the US Open. I think they play 72 holes no matter how long it takes.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by cartman

I don't think they've ever shortened the US Open. I think they play 72 holes no matter how long it takes.

Yep they interviewed someone tonight on the Golf Channel who said just that-it will be a 72 hole event regardless of how long it takes to play it.

[fantom1979]

I just looked at the New York weather, has the US Open and the British Open ever been played at the same time before?

[fantom1979]

The guy is already carrying your bag... would it be too much to ask for you to hold your own umbrella?

[Thomkal]

Play has resumed this morning and the guy who set the course up was pleasantly surprised by how well it drained after getting 2 inches of rain on it yesterday. They will have to deal with some embedded balls and casual water in some places though. No or little rain is expected today, however the weekend looks to be a mess. They expect to finish round 1 then start round 2 sometime around 4 pm if the rains hold off.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Play has resumed this morning and the guy who set the course up was pleasantly surprised by how well it drained after getting 2 inches of rain on it yesterday. They will have to deal with some embedded balls and casual water in some places though. No or little rain is expected today, however the weekend looks to be a mess. They expect to finish round 1 then start round 2 sometime around 4 pm if the rains hold off.

This storm system rolled through Missouri earlier this week. At times, I wondered if the rain would ever stop. Got nearly 5 inches in 2 days.

I'm somewhat excited that it's been delayed some. That means I get to watch more golf since they likely will start players on both sides most of this weekend.

[Dr. Sak]

Rocco Mediate started good and is -2 so far.

[Thomkal]

Phil with a nice long birdie on #8 to get back to -1 and right in the thick of things. Dustin Johnson has been back and forth between Even and +1 all day and currently +1 after 9.

[Dr. Sak]

Phil is hitting some good 2nd shots in to the green.

[bbor]

Wow...good ole Canadian boy Mike Wier -6 through 13.Knowing him though he will miss the cut

[kcchief19]

I love the first round of the U.S. Open for many reasons, mostly because you can count on these things happening:

* A complete unknown is at the front of the leader board and will get his life story told in the next 24 hours before vanishing to obscurity by Saturday (Peter Hanson at -4? Come on down!)

* A big name from the past will tantalize everyone that they have the magic to make one more run at a title before running out of gas. At -3, the winner of this year's Tom Watson Award is David Duval.

* Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time players who have great potential will be in the top 10 and make everyone ask if this is year they break through. Please meet Ricky Barnes, Lucas Glover, Adam Scott and Todd Hamilton (sorry, Todd, the British Open doesn't count).

* A journeyman who has never won a major will go low and setup a storybook ending that will crash sometime on the weekend. Poor Rocco Mediate looks like it will be him for a second year in a row.

* A solid pro who can and deserves to win will become the odds-on favorite to win but probably won't. Mike Weir's the guy.

* Tiger will blow up in the first round and make everyone think he's out of it before firing a ridiculously low round on Friday or Saturday and getting right back into it.

[NoSkillz]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

I love the first round of the U.S. Open for many reasons, mostly because you can count on these things happening:

* A complete unknown is at the front of the leader board and will get his life story told in the next 24 hours before vanishing to obscurity by Saturday (Peter Hanson at -4? Come on down!)

* A big name from the past will tantalize everyone that they have the magic to make one more run at a title before running out of gas. At -3, the winner of this year's Tom Watson Award is David Duval.

* Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time players who have great potential will be in the top 10 and make everyone ask if this is year they break through. Please meet Ricky Barnes, Lucas Glover, Adam Scott and Todd Hamilton (sorry, Todd, the British Open doesn't count).

* A journeyman who has never won a major will go low and setup a storybook ending that will crash sometime on the weekend. Poor Rocco Mediate looks like it will be him for a second year in a row.

* A solid pro who can and deserves to win will become the odds-on favorite to win but probably won't. Mike Weir's the guy.

* Tiger will blow up in the first round and make everyone think he's out of it before firing a ridiculously low round on Friday or Saturday and getting right back into it.

Awesome and couldn't be more on target. I'd go as far as saying this formula can be used at the Masters as well.

Hopefully, Weir proves you wrong this week :P What an awesome round...64 with a double bogey?!

[Schmidty]

Golf is the only sport that I root for the front-runner.

I would love to see Tiger get his shit together and take this thing in dramatic fashion. Or Phil.

[Atocep]

This US Open has been a disaster thus far. I haven't checked yet, but if the rain is as bad as it was expected to be this morning then they've effectively eliminated half the field based simply on tee times this weekend. There was a difference of 2 full shots on average between the morning and afternoon tee times yesterday and the same guys that played yesterday morning will be playing in the morning again today.

[spleen1015]

They didn't manage to finish Round 2 yesterday, so they're all playing already this morning.

[Thomkal]

Looks like a huge nasty front will hit the area around noon today and then stall, making it unlikely they will get through today's round, and again bringing bad luck to those who had the bad weather on Thursday and are just teeing off in the second round now.

Dustin Johnson picked up a couple birdies this morning to get back to 1 over after his second round and at least will make the cut.

[Dr. Sak]

I love rooting for Phil...his last 4 holes...bogey, double, birdie, birdie...

[Dr. Sak]

Ricky Barnes is making a mockery of Bethpage

[fantom1979]

Reality has to hit him eventually. I have my money on Weir.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

I love rooting for Phil...his last 4 holes...bogey, double, birdie, birdie...

...bogey, bogey sadly.

Dustin Johnson's not doing any good either. Becoming kinda boring with no big names other than Mike Weir close.

[fantom1979]

Weir has managed to go +3 in the hour since I picked him on here. Maybe I should go post in the Zito reverse mojo thread.

[Young Drachma]

What a tournament. I almost agree with one of the ESPN bloggers, they should've awarded an "A" flight and "B" flight title.

Ricky Barnes is on fire. lol...but at least he's a guy who was supposed to be the golf's next big thing years ago and finally got together.

-10 at a US Open is downright insane. The USGA is gonna burn down Bethpage Black after this thing is over and punish everyone next year with rough on the fairway.

[hoopsguy]

I'm not sure that the USGA is going to be THAT irate about the score. -10 has a six shot lead on the field right now. Twelve other golfers are between -4 and -1 with some really favorable conditions for the one half of the field.

We'll see where the scores finish up on Monday, but I'm going to guess that in the end there will only be a half dozen or so players under par. If one golfer shreds the course to the tune of six shots better than the rest of the field then I would think you just tip your cap to him rather than being mad about his low number.

[kingfc22]

Barnes is starting to misfire...

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

What a tournament. I almost agree with one of the ESPN bloggers, they should've awarded an "A" flight and "B" flight title.

Ricky Barnes is on fire. lol...but at least he's a guy who was supposed to be the golf's next big thing years ago and finally got together.

-10 at a US Open is downright insane. The USGA is gonna burn down Bethpage Black after this thing is over and punish everyone next year with rough on the fairway.

The greens at Bethpage aren't the tough part about the course. With all the rain they are real soft and the players are able to go flagstick hunting.

[Jas_lov]

Pretty nice putt there by Phil to end it at -2. Crazy up and down day for him. Hopefully Barnes comes back a couple strokes and Phil is only 5-6 down going into the final round.

[Dr. Sak]

Yeah and he was about a turn away from birding #17 too.

[Thomkal]

that was an awesome putt by Phil to finish his round. He certainly has a chance tomorrow given who's ahead of him

[k0ruptr]

thats the thing with the open, you never know if the leader is going to go out and shoot +6 in the final round.

[fantom1979]

Do they have time to change the pin placements between the 3rd and 4th rounds? I would imagine that they starting doing it after the leaders finished playing each hole, but I can't remember ever hearing for sure how/if they do it.

[henry296]

Yes, it doesn't take that long to change the pin positions, only a couple of minute a hole. I think they will be playing golf again around 6 PM.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

FYI.......live feed is up at NBC Sports Live Feed. Just started at 9:00 EDT. Leaders still at -7.

[Big Fo]

Barnes and Glover are falling back to the pack a bit.

[Dr. Sak]

And Phil is doing...well his best Phil impression

[Jas_lov]

Barnes in more trouble.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

This is quickly becoming a war of attrition.

[Big Fo]

I haven't seen one this morning but through the course of the tournament has anyone ever seen as many missed two and three footers as there were this week?

Mickelson gets to within four.

[Jas_lov]

Now Tiger is in good position to get within 4 of Glover. Barnes has another tough putt for par at 8, he may bogey 4 in a row.

[Dr. Sak]

I'll vomit if Tiger wins.

[spleen1015]

If Tiger gets to -3, he'll at least be in a playoff.

[clemsonfan]

Go Glover Go!

[Jas_lov]

Glover missed a very long par putt at 9. Mickelson within 3 after a great save for par at 10.

[Jas_lov]

Tiger bogeys 15. He needs birdies on the last 3 holes to have a shot.

[Dr. Sak]

Tiger back to even.

[Coffee Warlord]

C'mon Phil!

[JeeberD]

What channel is showing this?

[spleen1015]

ESPN right now

[Dr. Sak]

Switch to NBC at 1130 EST