Hang on the for the ride as we are one day and 36 holes away from crowning a US Open winner, but first there is some golf to be played.

Mike Davis, the USGA's Senior Director of Rules and Competition said that there was a chance that 109th US Open at Bethpage State Park's Black Course could get done on time.

Of course, the USGA, Bethpage Black and the fine fans of the New York Metro area and golf in general would have to get a break. But if that break did come in the form of some dry weather, the third round of the US Open, slated to continue on the Black course Sunday morning could be finished by 11 a.m, then the USGA could re-pair and get the final round underway as late as 1:30 p.m. and hopefully finish around 7 or 7:30 Sunday evening.

Both groups will start on the first and 10th tees and in the event of bad weather, the USGA could opt not to re-pair and instead play on in the same groups that are being played in Round Three. The trouble there is that you could have the winner of the US Open finishing on the ninth hole instead of 18.

Rick-ee, Rick-ee: Last year on the Left Coast at Torrey Pines, it was Rocco Mediate who came into the event ranked 158th in the World Golf Rankings and captured the spirit and spunk of golf fans everywhere by playing well in the US Open while finishing second to Tiger Woods in an epic 91-hole battle.

This year on the East Coast at Bethpage Black it is Ricky Barnes, ranked an astonishing 519th in the World Golf Rankings, holding the 36-hole lead while coming off his best finish on the PGA TOUR this year, a tie for 47th at the St. Jude Classic.

Not only is the 5-1-9 ranking a mind blowing number, consider this -- Barnes has only one bogey at Wetpage and in posting opening rounds of 67-65-132 established a new 36-hole US Open scoring record.

The USGA did everything they could to get the players back on the course to begin their third rounds but eventually at 6:55 p.m. Eastern time, play was called for the day with water pooling on the greens following a downpour with 44 of the 60 players to make the cut at 4-over-par able to get out on the golf course.

Leaderboard: So Barnes has a one-shot lead over Lucas Glover (69-64-133) and a two-shot lead over Mike Weir (64-70-134) entering third round play. Tied for fourth is the unlikely trio of Peter Hanson (66-71-137), Azuma Yano (72-65-137) and David Duval (67-70-137). Hanson has birdied the 430-yard par-4 First Hole in rounds one and two respectively while also carding a bogey in rounds one and two on the 525 yard par-4 Seventh Hole. Yano is ranked 117th in the World Golf Rankings and notched six birdies and one bogey in his second round 65 to vault up the leaderboard. David Duval continues to amaze, amassing 10 birdies while also racking up seven bogeys in rounds one and two. If Double D can eliminate the wasted strokes he can be a factor the rest of the way.

Of the big names on the leaderboard, Phil Mickelson hasn't been able to gain any traction over the opening two rounds, posting a 69-70 start to begin round three at 1-under par, seven back of Barnes. Steve Stricker did a nice bounce back job with his 4-under par 66 in round two following up his three over par 73 that featured just one birdie on the day. As well as Strick rolls the rock, he still has a chance while looking up seven shots to Barnes. Sergio Garcia finds himself tied for 17th, eight shots back with opening rounds of bookend even par 70s. Kind of like kissing your sister, or Morgan Norman, your choice. Tiger Woods (74-69-143) is tied for 34th place and though he is saying the right things in every press conference, the action has not been indicative of his words. Still he has 35 holes left to make something happen.

The cut came at +4 and those on the wrong side of the number included:

Luke Donald (74-71-145 +5) -- Carded only four birdies in two rounds and had a 40 on the inward nine in round one.

Rory Sabbatini (72-73-145 +5) -- Another member of the four birdie club. Just never got anything going.

David Toms (69-76-145 +5) -- On the first page of the leaderboard following round one, then posted two birdies, five bogeys and a triple in round two.

Brian Gay (73-73-146 +6) -- Wasn't planning on playing in the Open and got in for his two wins this season. Couldn't carry in the momentum from last week.

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