Notebook: Barnes sets more records, but not 54-hole mark

By John Bush, PGA TOUR Staff

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Ricky Barnes posted a third-round even-par 70 to sit at 8-under 202, one stroke ahead of Lucas Glover (70) and five clear of David Duval (70) and Ross Fisher (69).

• The lowest score ever to lead the field after 54 holes of the U.S. Open was 10-under 200 by Jim Furyk at Olympia Fields in 2003. Barnes’ score is the second-best through 54 holes, while several players have reached 7-under 203. They are George Burns at Merion in 1981, T.C. Chen at Oakland Hills in 1985, Lee Janzen at Baltusrol in 1993 and Glover right here at Bethpage Black this year.

• When Barnes eagled the par-5 fourth hole to move to 11 under, he became just the fourth player in U.S. Open history to reach double digits under par. The list includes: Gil Morgan (12 under in the third round in 1992 at Pebble Beach), Tiger Woods (12 under in the final round in 2000 at Pebble Beach, and Furyk (11 under in the third round in 2003 at Olympia Fields).

• The largest final-round comebacks at the U.S. Open was seven shots, by Arnold Palmer in 1960 at Cherry Hills. Following Palmer on the list are the six-shot comeback by Johnny Miller in 1973 at Oakmont, and the five-shot comebacks by Johnny Farrell in 1928 at Olympia Fields, Byron Nelson in 1939 at Philadelphia CC and Lee Janzen in 1998 at Olympic Club.

• Prior to Sunday, not only has Barnes never led on TOUR heading into the final round, but he has been within 10 shots of the lead just three times previously in his career going into the final 18 holes. He was three back at the 2004 FBR Open before a 1-over 72 left him tied for 14th and seven back at the 2003 Chrysler Classic of Tucson (final-round 2-under 70, finished tied for 18th) and 2003 Masters (1-over 73, finished 21st).

• Barnes’ only 54-hole lead on the Nationwide Tour came at the 2006 Oregon Classic. He was tied with Tim Wilkinson after 54 holes, but a 4-under 68 in the final round left him one shot behind tournament-winner Cliff Kresge.

• Barnes is seeking to become the first player to win the U.S. Amateur and then make a major championship his first victory since Jerry Pate performed the feat in 1976. A total of 11 players have won both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur during their careers.

• Duval entered the final round tied for third and six shots behind Barnes. It represents the first time since the 2001 TOUR Championship that he has entered the final 18 holes inside the top 3 on the leaderboard.

• Woods (68) entered the final round nine strokes behind Barnes. He has never come from behind to win a major when trailing after 54 holes, having been a leader or co-leader at all 14 of his major wins.

• Woods recorded an eight-stroke comeback to win the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic after starting the final round tied for 18th place. He posted a 65 on the final 18 holes and then topped Ernie Els with a birdie on second playoff hole for the victory.

• Mike Weir entered the final round tied for fifth and six strokes back in his attempt to become the first Canadian-born player to win the U.S. Open. A total of 14 players have won the U.S. Open, while eight players from England have won. Five South Africans also have won, as well as two Australians, one one each from New Zealand and Argentina.

• Of Phil Mickelson’s 36 PGA TOUR victories, 14 have been comeback wins. His most recent came at the 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship, where he trailed by two to Brett Wetterich before a final-round 66 led to a two-stroke win over Wetterich, Woods and Arron Oberholser.

• Glover’s only PGA TOUR victory was in come-from-behind fashion, as he birdied the final two holes to capture the 2005 FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World Resort. He made a 40-foot putt from the fringe on No. 17 and then a 100-foot bunker shot on the final hole to win.

• Barnes, Glover, Duval, Hunter Mahan and Mickelson are all inside the top five on the leaderboard heading into the final round. The last time five Americans were in the top five (including ties) heading into a final round at the U.S. Open was in 1999, when Duval, Tim Herron, Mickelson, eventual winner Payne Stewart, Steve Stricker and Woods shared the honors.

• The 54-hole leader/co-leader has won 48 times at the U.S. Open, most recently Woods in 2008.

• The third-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win 17 of 24 stroke-play events on TOUR this season, most recently Brian Gay at the St. Jude Classic. Note: this includes third-round leader Pat Perez at the 90-hole 50th Bob Hope Classic and Dustin Johnson at the 54-hole AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

• Past champions of the U.S. Open and their results through three rounds: Retief Goosen (73-68-68/tied for eighth), Woods (74-69-68/tied for 15th), Furyk (72-69-74/tied for 35th), Geoff Ogilvy (73-67-77/tied for 42nd), Angel Cabrera and (74-69-75/tied for 49th).

• Monday’s finish will be the first on TOUR this season. There were three Monday finishes a year ago: World Golf Championships-CA Championship (non-scheduled), Deutsche Bank Championship (scheduled) and the U.S. Open (playoff). The last time the U.S. Open finished regulation on a Monday was in 1983 when Sunday afternoon thunderstorms forced play into an extra day.

• Bubba Watson (67) managed the only bogey-free round during the third round.

• The scoring average for the third round was 72.666. The average was 73.814 in the first round and 72.028 in the second round.

• The par-4 10th hole played the toughest during the third round, yielding a 4.533 average. The par-5 fourth hole was the easiest for the third consecutive round at 4.633.