U.S. Open: Sunday

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Jun. 21, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff

GOLF UPDATE (11:55 a.m.): It's not raining at Bethpage, and the third round is back in full swing. Stay tuned for more updates.

TICKET UPDATE (9:55 a.m.): Spectators holding Thursday or Monday tickets for the 109th U.S. Open will be admitted to the competition on Monday.

And if less than 90 minutes of golf are played Sunday, those tickets will also be honored on Monday.

Thursday ticket holders who have lost or misplaced their Thursday ticket should report to one of the Will Call facilities at Bethpage State Park on Monday. Will call should be able to verify those who purchased tickets by mail or online well in advance of the championship

Individuals who purchased tickets at the pre-championship on-site sale (June 11-14) will need to show their receipt at Will Call. For more on tickets, click here. -- Helen Ross

WEATHER FORECAST (8 a.m.): Though the rain has stopped momentarily, there is an 80 percent chance of rain for Sunday with winds 15-25 mph. For a complete update on the weather, click here.

USGA UPDATE (7:33 a.m.): The putting green and driving range are closed to players until at least 10 a.m. ET. Spectators will not be granted entry to the course until at least 11 a.m. ET. The field was apprised of the situation early Sunday morning. The tentative plan for Sunday is to wait for the weather to improve and then finish the third round. Time (and weather) permitting, the final round will begin Sunday and be completed Monday.

WEATHER UPDATE (7:26 a.m.): It's been raining for a while in Farmingdale, N.Y., and it looks like that rain won't leave Long Island any time soon. Temperatures are in the mid 60s, and currently there is no lightning in the area. According to the Weather Channel, rainfall could be as heavy as half an inch per hour, which can lead to flooding. There is already standing water on some greens and fairways at Bethpage.

MORNING UPDATE (7 a.m.): Guess what? It's raining. Again. A nasty rain storm is parked over Bethpage Black early Sunday morning, and the USGA has delayed resumption of the third round until noon Eastern. Stay tuned for updates.

The field is ready to continue the third round of the U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park's Black Course. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Players
	Anthony Kim, Rory McIlroy These two young guns are in the hunt for their first major win. They've completed five holes in the third round.
	Tiger Woods, Andres Romero Woods will have to stage one of the biggest comebacks in U.S. Open history to win his 15th major title.
	Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker Mickelson is the sentimental favorite, while Stricker is one of the hottest players on TOUR after his win three weeks ago.

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent John Maginnes previews Sunday's action:

Here is the good news: Sunday is the longest day of the year with 15 hours of daylight. The third round will resume at 7:30 ET Sunday morning with some players in position on the course and others on both tees to start their third round. The other piece of good news is that only 60 players survived the cut. The U.S. Open cuts to all players within 10 shots of the lead or the low 60 players and ties, whichever number is greater. There were exactly 60 players at 4 over or better.

Sunday could be an incredibly long day with an old-school feel. There was a time when the USGA favored a 36-hole Saturday to determine a champion. What we are looking at is a 36-hole final, weather permitting. That could be good news for the three players who have pulled away from this field. Ricky Barnes, Lucas Glover and Mike Weir are at the top of the pack and have separated themselves by three shots from the chasers.

The plan for Sunday is for the third round to resume in the morning. Players will take a short break while the USGA repairs the field, then the final round will take place in the afternoon. Any delay will likely result in a Monday finish. Daylight could become an issue even without a delay.

From a player's perspective, you have to be prepared to play when they tell you to play. They have been in a stop-and-start mode all week. Because of this, and the length of time they will spend on the golf course on Sunday, fatigue -- particularly mental fatigue -- will be an issue. Any lapse in concentration could lead to some very bad things. Expect a few trainwrecks on Sunday.

Stat of the day

Ricky Barnes, Lucas Glover, Geoff Ogilvy and James Nitties each shot bogey-free second rounds at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. When the U.S. Open was held there in 2002, only Jeff Maggert was able to shoot a bogey-free round during the week.

Thus far at Bethpage Black

Round	Leader	Low round (par 70)	Key links
	Lucas Glover (-6)	64: Mike Weir	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Helen Ross column \| Notebook
	Ricky Barnes (-8)	64: Lucas Glover	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Helen Ross column \| Notebook

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry updates action from the second and third rounds of the 2009 U.S. Open and previews what to watch for on Sunday. Watch it
	Interview: Tiger Woods Woods fired a 1-under 69 in his second round. After his round, Woods commented on his game, course conditions, and what it takes to win the U.S. Open. Watch it
	Record-breaking round Ricky Barnes broke the 36-hole record for lowest total with 132 en route to the second-round lead of the 2009 U.S. Open Championship. Watch it