FARMINGDALE, N.Y., June 14 (UPI) -- On a day in which playing good golf became almost impossible, the world's best at what he does once against demonstrated that word is not in his vocabulary.
Tiger Woods came close to turning the U.S. Open into his personal playground Friday, building a three-shot lead after two rounds thanks to a sensational performance turned in on a brutal golf course blanketed by weather to match.
With rain pelting down throughout his morning trip around the Bethpage Black course, Woods shot a 2-under 68 as he seeks his second major title of the year, seventh in 11 tries and eighth overall. He completed 36 holes at 5-under 135, one shot off the midway tournament record and a score that left all but one player far off the pace.
"I've still got 36 holes to play," Woods said. "It's not over."
When the third round begins Saturday, the only player within reasonable reach will be Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who finished in the gathering twilight with a scrambling 68 of his own to stand at 2-under 138. Harrington and the afternoon starters played during the worst of the weather, adding to the difficulty of catching Woods.
It was another four shots back to those tied for third place at 142 -- Davis Love III, Sergio Garcia, Jeff Maggert and South Korean K.J. Choi. Love had the best round of that group, firing a 71 when the average score was 76.6.
The 2002 U.S. Open, at least through 36 holes, took on the look of the 2000 event, in which Woods was the only one able to conquer Pebble Beach and won by an astounding 15 shots. And at least one of Woods' rivals had seen enough.
"I got a first-hand look at what he did the first two days and he plays a different game than me," said Chris Dimarco, who was paired with Woods for the opening 36 holes and needed 13 shots more than Woods to play them.
"He hits it 40 or 50 yards farther than me off the tee. He hits two or three clubs less off the par-3 holes. The longer the course, the more it plays to his advantage. I can't play against him on this type of venue. He is hitting 7-irons and I'm hitting 3 or 4-irons or even a 5-wood."
That virtual concession did not come from an assistant pro who was fortunate to qualify for the tournament. It came from a player ranked No. 10 in the world.
Of the 78 players who competed in the morning, no one could get closer than four shots to Woods in Friday's round and no one was closer than eight shots over 36 holes.
As the afternoon portion of the field made its way around the course, it got colder and the rains increased, leaving huge puddles on the fairways and greens. But play progressed through the miserable conditions and disaster stories were everywhere.
Derek Tolan, receiving his introduction to major championship golf at the age of 16, shot 88. Former PGA Championship winners Paul Azinger and Wayne Grady shot 82 and 83, respectively.
And Felix Casas of the Philippines had a birdie, three pars, seven bogeys, five double bogeys and two triple bogeys for a round of 92.
Finally as the afternoon starters neared completion of their rounds, the rains stopped and the puddles receded. But it was too late for most of them.
Among those missing the cut were Colin Montgomerie, Mark Calcavecchia, Hal Sutton, Jim Furyk, David Duval, two-time champion Lee Janzen and both of the men who took part in an 18-hole playoff at Southern Hills a year ago -- defending champion Retief Goosen and 2001 runner-up Mark Brooks.
Tied for seventh place, eight shots behind the leader at 143, were Billy Mayfair, Phil Mickelson and Shigeki Maruyama of Japan. Maruyama had the day's low round, and one of just three under par, with a 67. But to get it he had to record an ace at the par-3 14th -- a shot that came between two birdies.
It took a score of 10-over 290 to make the cut and among those who survived were Justin Leonard (144), Nick Faldo (146), Ernie Els (147), Jesper Parnevik (148), Greg Norman (148), John Daly (150), Vijay Singh (150) and Andy Miller (150), son of 1973 champion Johnny Miller.
Garcia, desperate for his first major title, slogged through the heavy afternoon showers to shoot a 74.
"It got to the point that I thought we should be water skiing instead of playing golf," Garcia said. "I tried as hard as I can and it takes a lot out of you. After what Tiger shot, it is not the score I wanted. The course is playing extremely difficult."
Woods, who had a one-shot lead when he began his round at 8:35 a.m., birdied the first two holes from four and three feet and then rolled in a six-footer for another birdie at the par-5 fourth to quickly pull away from the field.
He suffered a bogey at the par-3 eighth, however, when his tee shot plugged in a bunker. And from that point, Woods put on a typically tremendous scrambling exhibition. He saved par time and again from difficult spots, beginning at the ninth, when he got up and down from a greenside bunker.
His tee shot at the 12th sailed into the rough, but he still managed to put his second shot onto the green on the longest par-4 in U.S. Open history at 499 yards. At the brutal, par-4 15th, Woods again drove into the rough, put his second shot in a bunker and wound up holing a 12-footer for par. And at the par-3 17th, his tee shot sailed over the green into deep rough.
With bogey seemingly a sure thing, Woods slashed a sand wedge through the tall grass, lobbed the ball just onto the green and it trickled directly at the hole. With the shouts of the crowd growing louder and louder in anticipation of the ball dropping into the cup for an unbelievable birdie, it took a slight turn to the left at the last second. But Woods had only a short putt remaining to save par.
For the second straight day, Woods closed his round with a birdie -- holing an 18-footer at the 18th for his 68.
"I couldn't have asked for a better start," Woods said. "It is always great to start this way, especially in the U.S. Open.
"The golf course is brutal. If you make one mistake here or there, it adds up and you pay a price. It is always nice to make those big par putts. They feel better than making a birdie.
"The par save at the ninth was really important. With the 10th, 11th and 12th coming up (three of the hardest holes on the course), it was a big save.
"I just tried to stay out trouble. And when you do put yourself in a place where it doesn't look like you're going to make par, just go ahead and get your bogey. It was a tough day, but you knew that everyone had to deal with it. You knew it was going to be long and slow and you just go out there and plod along."
