Favourites flounder at US Open

The rain-affected US Open struggles on with some unfamiliar names bobbing to the surface in the soggy conditions. Little-known Ricky Barnes was leading at eight under when more downpours brought an end to play on Saturday. He has a one shot lead over fellow American Lucas Glover.

Tiger Woods recovered from a terrible first round, but his 69 still leaves him 11 shots off the lead.

The British challenge is being led by Lee Westwood. His four-under-par 66 leaves him two under and tied for seventh.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:Peter Higgs, Mail on Sunday: "Amid all the rain, flooding, delays and uncertain scheduling of the 109th US Open, Ross Fisher and Lee Westwood kept alive British hopes of long overdue success. While more illustrious names were booking flights out of New York unable to handle the demanding conditions of the Bethpage Black course, the two Englishmen stayed within reach of record-breaking leader Ricky Barnes as the event headed for more wild weather in today's scheduled final day."

Lawrence Donegan, Observer: "Just as the rains abated and the soggy denizens of Long Island were settling in to watch a US Open, the Buick Invitational broke out. Ricky Barnes, a former US amateur champion who has missed the cut on the PGA Tour this year as often as he has made it, was leading the tournament on eight under par – a record low for the US Open at the halfway point. Lucas Glover, another PGA nonentity, was a shot behind, and David Duval, a former world No1 who dropped off the face of the earth after becoming disillusioned with the game, was five behind."

Brian Doogan, Sunday Times: "Tiger Woods, the defending champion and 7-4 favourite to win a fourth US Open championship before it rained on his parade on Thursday, avoided an ignominious exit after two rounds at Bethpage Black, the public golf course on which he was the only player to finish under par when he won his second national championship in 2002. Former American amateur champion Ricky Barnes held the lead after adding a second-round 65 to his opening 67 for an eight-under-par total, 11 strokes better than Woods, who fired 69 after a shocking finish in his first-round 74." ·