ELMSFORD, N.Y. (June 19, 2009) — Fairfield, Connecticut native J.J. Henry teed off at just past 10:20 this morning and shot a first-round 73. He began his second round at 4:52 p.m. and will complete as much of his second round as possible until tournament officials suspend play for darkness.

Henry had an up and down round, with birdies on the second and 16th holes to go along with his five bogeys.

Earlier in the day, Creek Club head professional Sean Farren had the opportunity to post a decent score as he crossed Round Swamp Road to play the last four holes at Bethpage Black in the 109th U.S. Open Championship. Farren had birdied the par-three 14th hole and stood at 7 over par at the 15th tee. A birdie or two coming in, he could post a round in the mid-70s.

However, Farren made bogey at the tough 15th hole and followed it up with a triple-bogey 7 on the 16th hole to finish with a 10-over-par round of 80. About an hour before him, Tiger Woods came to the 15th tee, also after a birdie at 14, at even par for the championship. Woods made a double bogey at 15 and bogeys at 16 and 18, finishing with a 74.

When play resumed at 7:26 this morning, Farren, who is playing in his first U.S. Open, had to pitch out from the fescue on the par-five fourth hole and ended up with a double bogey. He made five bogeys in his next nine holes after that, but the birdie on the par-three 14th gave him some new life. Unfortunately for Farren, he’ll likely have to shoot under par in the second round—whenever that may be—to make the 36-hole cut.

Another local player who struggled to an 80 in the first round was Andrew Svoboda of Larchmont, N.Y. The 2003 Met Open champion came out this morning and made par on five of his first six holes, no small accomplishment considering the long delay in first-round play. He then birdied the par-five fourth hole and looked as if he might right the ship. But a triple-bogey 7 at the fifth hole derailed those chances.

Both Svoboda and Farren will now have to wait until Saturday, and possibly even Sunday if more rain comes through, to begin their second rounds. With relatively good weather today, the entire field should complete the first round by 5:30 p.m. and a wave of players will begin their second rounds around 4:00 p.m. But Farren and Svoboda, along with Tiger, have late second-round tee times, which will not begin until tomorrow, weather permitting.

Despite nearly two inches of rain, players, including Woods, praised Bethpage superintendent Craig Currier and his crew for getting the course into playable condition by this morning. “I’m sure they worked through the night,” said Woods, “and it was remarkable how good the course looked.”

 

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