Barnes, Duval Can't Be Counted Out of this Wild Open Fight

Posted by Vic Williams, Live at the U.S. Open | June 20, 2009

It would be tough for most of us to count our blessings on even two hands — and our feet, too. We'd run out of fingers and toes. But Ricky Barnes would definitely need more digits than most to tally his blessings. And yes, I'm including his spotty but still distinguished career as a golfer. He's only 28, and he's won a U.S. Amateur (beating Hunter Mahan 2 and 1 in 2002), played in several majors including the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach as a 19-year-old and again right here at Bethpage Black in 2002, and of course The Masters as Amateur champ. He was a college sensation at Arizona who dated fellow Northern Californian Natalie Gulbis for a while. He's handsome, in great shape and can beat the hell out of a golf ball.

That said, he's never reached his potential as a pro, but now that he leads a start-and-stop, will-it-ever-end U.S. Open at the halfway point after setting the 109-year-old event's 36-hole record at 8-under par, that potential is at his doorstep. He seems more than ready to kick the door open and embrace a bright future. There's no deer-in-the-headlights look that's seen in many guys in his position. If anything, he's overflowing with confidence, speaking easily with the press and seemingly as in control of his emotions as he currently is of his tee shots, where he ranks tops in fairways hit this week.

"My ballstriking has been the most impressive part of the first 36 holes," he said not long after putting out on No. 9 to finish his second round Saturday. "I've hit 31 greens, pretty stress-free, just one bogey. I'll take it. It's solid play, and I'm happy to be in the position I'm in."

Can he stay in that position with a potential 36 holes Sunday — or even worse, an extended soggy stay at Bethpage where a 72-hole decision might not come until midweek? Why not? No doubt Barnes would have liked to have gotten his third round underway Saturday night, and was set to tee off at 7:22 p.m. before another round of steady rain washed half the field off the course and left the other half in the clubhouse, waiting. But after finally earning his PGA Tour card this season after half a decade of paying his dues on the Nationwide and various mini tours, very little seems to ruffle the guy. Couple that with pent-up talent, loads of potential and a what-the-heck attitude, and he could upstage the Phils, Tigers, Mike Weirs and other big stars still in the field.

Then again, a former Tour megastar could upstage everyone. His name is David Duval. He's a former No. 1 with one major in the bank (the 2001 Open Championship), he's sitting pretty at 3-under and, like Barnes, he's seemingly gaining strength and perspective through a calm and newly confident attitude. And now that he's pushing 40 with several years of various personal and professional struggles behind him, there's very little to knock him down these days. I personally have seen Duval on the low ebb, duck-hooking tee shots and chunking chips at the Reno-Tahoe Open as recently as 2007. But that was then, this is now. And this is the U.S. Open, well within his reach.

"I've seen a lot, if not all of it, and it's pretty hard to get me flustered," he says. "And my swing now is as good, if not better, and I feel I know it better. I have every intention of working to win this tournament."

So throw the usual suspects into the mix along with these surprising, inspiring stories, and we've got the makings of an Open finishes for the ages. Whenever that finish may be.

Vic Williams is editor and publishing partner of Fairways + Greens, a bi-monthly magazine dedicated to golf, travel and lifestyle for the West and beyond. He has written thousands of stories on golf and will cover every facet of the game right here, primarily travel but also the major tours, equipment, personalities and more. Contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it