Barnes storms into US Open lead

PGA Tour rookie Ricky Barnes posted the target to shoot for at the rain-hit US Open halfway mark as Tiger Woods began his second round hoping to beat approaching storms and the halfway cut.

Barnes, the 2002 US Amateur champion who earned his tour card this year after six years as a professional, shot a five-under-par second-round 65 in the best of the conditions playing back-to-back rounds yesterday and this morning at Bethpage Black.

The American leads at eight under par, one shot ahead of overnight leader Lucas Glover, who posted a six-under-par 64, and another shot in front of first-round leader Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion from Canada who added a 70 to his opening 64.

Barnes, 28, began the day in second place at five under and carded birdies at his 11th and 14th and 17th holes as he closed over the front nine.

With the halfway cut determined by the low 60 scorers and ties, defending champion Woods found himself on the projected cut line at four over par, after a birdie at his fourth was followed by a bogey at the sixth as light rain began to fall.

With the skies over Long Island darkening, the leaderboard was dominated by Barnes’ initially late-starting side of the draw.

In addition to the top three, Japan’s Azuma Yano shot a 65 to get to three under alongside former Open champion David Duval, who added a 70 to his opening 67, and Peter Hanson of Sweden, who finished with a 71.

England’s Ross Fisher shot a two-under 68 to take a share of seventh place at two under with American amateur Nick Taylor, following a 65, with former Open champion Todd Hamilton and Sean O’Hair at two under.

World number two Phil Mickelson carded a 70 to get to one under par while fellow American Gary Woodland was also on that mark after carding a 66, with Australia’s Michael Sim and Englishman Lee Westwood the only players still out on the course to have crept onto the leaderboard.

Westwood birdied his first three holes to get to one under after five while Sim was two under after 10 holes.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and US amateur Drew Weaver had led the half of the draw which started the tournament on Thursday but finished their opening round yesterday with their opening 69s having played in much tougher conditions over the first two days.

Their half of the draw, also including the reigning major champions Woods, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera, began their second rounds today expecting a much tougher time of it with heavy rain closing in.

McDowell opened his second round with five pars but bogeyed the sixth hole to drop to level par.

Playing with Woods, Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington started at six over and was still there after seven holes, his two birdies at the second and fifth holes of his round undone by back-to-back bogeys immediately after.

Oliver Wilson recorded his second consecutive round of 70 to reach the third round at level par, as did Sergio Garcia, while Adam Scott was on the same mark following a 71.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy improved his score by two shots from the first round for a 70 to get to two over but anyone lower down the leaderboard had work to do if they were to finish within 10 strokes of the lead at eight under or within the top 60 and ties to survive the halfway cut.

Ian Poulter birdied his opener at the testing par-four 10th to go to one under but dropped shots at the 15th, his sixth, and the par-three 17th and par-four 18th to fall to two over par.

Players champion Henrik Stenson was two under for his second round after nine holes, one over for the week.

Luke Donald was at five over after eight holes and Scotland’s Martin Laird finished at five over for the week after a one-over 71 but world number three Paul Casey, a three-time winner this year, carded bogeys at the second, fourth and seventh to slip to eight over.

England’s Justin Rose finished his second round at eight over following a 75, with Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland shooting a 76 to fall to 10 over, while South Africa’s Ernie Els finished with a 77 to complete a miserable week at 15 over par.