USGA: Sunday finish 'not looking terribly promising'

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Although Jeff Brehaut teed off in the first group on the 10th tee at the 109th U.S. Open Thursday, he spent more time in the locker room after play was suspended than he did hitting shots on Bethpage Black.

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Increasingly heavy rain throughout the morning forced USGA officials to halt play at 10:15 a.m. and then suspend it for the day at 1:55 p.m. All the players in the morning wave had teed off, but the last group had just completed three holes.

Brehaut's group got the farthest, putting out on their 11th hole, when the horn sounded. Sure, it's early but he left the course 1 under and tied for the lead with Johan Edfors, who had completed four holes, and Andrew Parr and Ryan Spears, who were through three.

Play will resume at 7:30 a.m. on Friday. The players who would have been part of the afternoon wave on Thursday will begin teeing off at 10 a.m., and the second round will hopefully begin at 4 p.m. The goal is to complete the second round Saturday morning.

Mike Davis, the senior director of rules and competition for the USGA, acknowledged the prospect of finishing Sunday is "not looking terribly promising."

There is a 50 percent chance of rain on Friday -- particularly in the morning, and Saturday is expected to be a carbon copy of Thursday's heavy rain and storms. Oh, and Sunday's forecast now calls for a 60 percent chance of rain.

"Our meteorologists are telling us that it is very likely that we can get another inch plus of rain on Saturday," Davis said. "And we all know how this golf course is right now. So the question is just how playable the golf course is."

One thing the USGA does know, though, is that a U.S. Open champion will not be determined until 72 holes are completed -- regardless of whether that means a Monday, or even a Tuesday finish.

"I guess a perfect scenario would be, given what we know now, we would finish the second round ... by the end of the day Saturday, and then try to play 36 Sunday," said Jim Hyler, the chairman of the Championship Committee.

"So our goal is to still finish late Sunday."

Padraig Harrington, who was 4 over after six holes after a double and two bogeys, acknowledged the Sunday finish was a goal. Then he added, "Obviously not the biggest goal in the world because they have got Monday tickets and everything."

Umbrellas created a colorful landscape on Thursday as the fans turned out in abundance -- despite the rainy weather -- and many came to follow Tiger Woods. He double bogeyed his fifth hole but had just birdied No. 6 when play was suspended.

"It was pretty wet and windy," the defending champion said. "It was a slow day. We had to get in as many holes as we possibly could, and we played more holes than we thought. I knew it was going to be a tough day, and it was."

The game's No. 2 player and sentimental favorite, Phil Mickelson, got a bit of a reprieve. He was to be among the afternoon starters, scheduled for a 1:36 p.m. date with a pair of two-time U.S. Open champions in Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.

More than an inch of rain had fallen on Bethpage Black by the time play was suspended, and even more fell as the afternoon progressed. While the fairway at the 18th hole was a big concern, the water on the greens eventually caused the delay.

"The volume of rain falling was outpacing our ability to squeegee the greens," Hyler said. "So that was the bottom line."

The USGA had between two and four volunteers at every green armed with at least two squeegees. There were nine water hogs -- essentially giant, rolling sponges -- on the course, as well, but the steady, heavy rain just collected too quickly.

Brehaut said the rain began in earnest just as he and his playing partners, J.P. Hayes and Greg Kraft, hit their tee shots at 7 a.m. The course held up relatively well until after the group made the turn.

"But when we got to the second green, my 11th hole, we all looked at each other and said, it can't handle it anymore," he said. "They were squeegeeing it off, and it was coming straight back up. JP Hayes had a 45 footer. They squeegeed it away, and he putted it, and it rooster-tailed up and left the putt 15 feet short.

"At that point, it just couldn't take any more water. So it happened very quickly where the course was playable and then all of a sudden it wasn't."

The 46-year-old Brehaut is playing in just his second major. He lost his card after eight years on the PGA TOUR and now is playing the Nationwide Tour, so he spent the delay catching up with old friends in the locker room and getting congratulatory texts.

Ian Poulter, who was even through seven holes, entertained himself by tweeting in the locker room during the break. In one of his last missives, Poulter said, "My caddy Terry is drying my bag with a hairdryer."

The PGA TOUR's champion Twitter, Stewart Cink, who was among those due to play in the afternoon wave, observed, "I was surprised they got any play at all in today.

"Now for the assault on local theaters. Any suggestions?"

"Singin' in the Rain" might be appropriate.