Nothing Stranger Than This 66

How do you explain these things?

Pinehurst chewed up most of the field on Friday, but it posed no particular problem for Peter Hedblom, who finished at four-under 66, the low round of the day.

Peter who?

Hedblom is a 35-year-old from Sweden who makes his living on the European Tour. He is playing in his first U.S. Open.

He got a break by playing in the more favorable morning weather but, still, 66 is 66.

Hedblom’s 66 was 11 strokes better than his opening 77.

Go figure?

“That’s golf,” Hedblom said. “I mean, golf is so strange, this game.”

Hedblom wondered if he’d even be playing with his own sticks this week since his clubs did not arrive with him on the connection from Stockholm through Newark, N.J.

Hedblom arrived here Saturday, his clubs Tuesday.

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When Tiger Woods scraped the surface of the ninth green with his putter after missing a putt, he said he was angry, but he also might have been found guilty of a breach of etiquette under the rules of golf.

The USGA decided no disciplinary action was needed because Woods “made an effort to repair the damage he had caused.”

Also, there is a provision in the rules that a player may be disqualified for a serious breach of etiquette, for repeated infractions.

According to Tom Meeks, the USGA’s senior director of rules and competitions, Woods’ actions may be understood as a breach of etiquette, but a one-time occurrence would not be considered a serious breach.

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He said he didn’t consider it an early Fathers’ Day gift to himself.

“I considered it the right thing to do,” Corey Pavin said.

Pavin, an instant expert in cross-country traveling, shot a two-over 72 Friday after an overnight trip to San Diego for the high school graduation of his son, Ryan.

It was a whirlwind trip. After leaving Pinehurst at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Pavin boarded a private jet, refueled in Amarillo, Texas, landed in Carlsbad at 5:30 and by 6:45 p.m., he was at the Winston School in Del Mar.

After leaving the San Diego airport, Pavin’s jet stopped in Little Rock, Ark., for more fuel, then landed back at Moore County Airport and he was back in his hotel room at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Pavin’s tee time was five hours later and even though he catnapped during his round-trip flight, he still had to fight fatigue.

“It was quite an adventure,” Pavin said. “When I got to the second hole on the back nine, it really hit me hard.

“I heard people saying things to me, things about being a good dad and all, it kind of kept me going at times.”

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Eighty-three players made the cut at eight over par. It was the highest cut at a U.S. Open since 10 over was the number in 2002 at Bethpage Black.

Among those missing the cut were British Open champion Todd Hamilton, Padraig Harrington, Stuart Appleby, David Duval, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Chris DiMarco, who shot an 82 on Friday.

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Stewart Cink is tied for 57th place at seven over par, but you can’t blame his putting. Cink had 18 more holes Friday without a three-putt, extending his tour streak to 331. Cink needs almost two more rounds without a three-putt to break Brad Faxon’s record of 362.

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In the no-surprise-withdrawal of the week, Paul Casey pulled out Friday morning. He gave no reason. Here’s a guess: Casey shot a 15-over 85 in Thursday’s first round.

Said Hedblom: “I don’t know what his reason was, but I think I would play with a broken leg.”