Golf-Open-Bethpage weather highlights luck of draw

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

FARMINGDALE, New York, June 20 (Reuters) - The luck of the draw is a frequently used sporting term and it has had a significant effect on this week's weather-delayed U.S. Open.

Of the 60 players who made the cut at soggy Bethpage Black when the second round was finally completed on Saturday, 36 were from the first round's late starters who benefited from dry conditions on Friday.

British Open champion Padraig Harrington and world number three Paul Casey missed the cut and were among the first round's early starters who had to negotiate heavy downpours on Thursday.

"Our side of the draw really got an advantage," Canadian Mike Weir told reporters after carding a level-par 70 to lie two shots behind pacesetting American Ricky Barnes.

"That's the way it works out sometimes. Our side definitely had a big advantage to be able to play in nice conditions."

Weir, the 2003 U.S. Masters champion, opened with a sparkling 64 to set the first-round pace before completing nine holes of round two in good scoring conditions on Friday.

World number one Tiger Woods played in the tougher half of the draw and narrowly made the cut after following a first-round 74 with a 69.

"Yesterday was the day that did it," the triple U.S. Open champion said, referring to four dropped shots in his last four holes in the rain-delayed first round.