Even at 10 Over, Cut Has a Major Bite

Friday’s cut at the U.S. Open ended up at a whopping 10 over par, and still some of the game’s greatest names weren’t spared from elimination.

Among those who won’t play this weekend are former major tournament winners David Duval (11 over), Mark Calcavecchia (11 over), Hale Irwin (23 over) Paul Azinger (17 over), Tom Kite (13 over), Lee Janzen (13 over), Mark Brooks, (13 over) and Retief Goosen (14 over).

It was Goosen who defeated Brooks in a playoff to win last year’s U.S. Open at Southern Hills.

Stewart Cink, who could have joined that playoff had he not three-putted the 72nd hole, also missed this year’s cut, finishing 12 over.

Friday’s cut is the highest total since the 10-over cut at the 1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

The U.S. Open record for highest cut number is 15 over at Olympic Club in 1955.

Other notables not making this year’s cut were Jim Furyk, who some pegged as a contender here, Craig Perks, winner of this year’s Players Championship, and Colin Montgomerie.

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After two memorable but high-scoring days at the U.S. Open, 16-year-old Derek Tolan returns home to Colorado to further his education in high school and in golf.

Tolan shot an 18-over 88 Friday and leaves Bethpage with a two-round score of 166, 26 over par.

“It beat me up,” he said. “Making the turn today, it was like, ‘This course is killing me.’

“I showed by my play that physically and mentally I am not ready to play at this level. It’s been a great learning experience. Now I have some confidence that I can accomplish a lot.”

Tolan’s trip was not a total loss.

“I didn’t get any autographs, but I met a lot of awesome people,” he said.

More than that, Tolan is looking forward to driving a new set of wheels.

Tolan’s father, John, promised his son a car if he qualified for the U.S. Open.

And what if his dad goes back on the promise?

“I’ll run away,” Tolan joked.

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Tiger Woods can’t get over how loud the galleries have been at Bethpage.

“If I don’t have a hearing problem, I might have one by the end of the week,” he joked. “You come off these tee boxes and they scream right in your ear. And eventually you just--you don’t hear it anymore, because it’s so loud.”

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Using an eight-iron, Shigeki Maruyama scored a hole in one Friday on the 161-yard 14th. It was the 35th known hole in one in U.S. Open history.

It was not such a good day for countryman Toshi Izawa, who withdrew before Friday’s second round because of illness.

The cynic would suggest Izawa got sick after firing an 80 in Thursday’s first round. Izawa was making his second U.S. Open appearance.

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True confessions from pro golfers on a dark, dreary and rain-swept second day at the U.S. Open:

Peter Lonard after shooting 74: “I played horrendous on the back.”

Tim Herron after shooting 75: “We’ve never seen a course like this.”

Scott McCarron after shooting 72: “It’s one of the toughest rounds I’ve ever played.”

Woody Austin after going 79-76: “If you’re playing well, you can lay it. I just played like a dog.”

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Mark Twain said everyone talks about the weather but no one does anything about it, but here’s the weekend U.S. Open forecast:

The rain is supposed to taper off this morning, with the afternoon possibly producing some sunshine with a high temperature of 66.

Sunday calls for some sunshine with scattered showers and the possibility of late-day thunderstorms.