It was believed by many viewers and readers here that Ricky Barnes violated the Rules of Golf on the 10th hole in his third round. David Fay of the USGA provided the assurance that Barnes was not in violation.

Bethpage Black is saturated and unplayable. With more rain expected this morning, the resumption of play has been moved to noon ET. This is a change from Saturday's night plan to resume at 7:30 a.m. The final twosomes are not scheduled to begin now until 12:24 p.m..

NBC has passed along word that the USGA is considering beginning the third round at 5:30 p.m. ET today, with threesomes off the 1st and 10th tees.

Although just a few golfers remain on the course completing their second rounds, the cut line is far from determined. Right now, exactly 60 golfers are 4-over-par and better. Should just one of them drop to 5-over or worse, then the cut will drop to 5-over as well.

He's only 12 holes into his 14th U.S. Open, but Rocco Mediate is 2-under-par and threatening to become a headline today. For a guy who hasn't posted a top-15 finish since his playoff loss to Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines in last year's U.S. Open, today's effort is a little audacious if not worth a shake of the head with an accompanying smirk. Who does he think he is, Angel Cabrera? Shows up just for the biggies on the schedule?

Mediate hasn't missed a cut in 12 starts on the PGA Tour this year, but when the odds are that one of those paychecks would hit six figures, not one has touched as much as $59K.

By his own defensive admission, Mediate said earlier this week that as long as he can keep his ball in the fairway, he flights his irons so high that his approaches should stick to receptive greens. Through 12 holes, he's hit six (of 10) fairways and nine greens, leading to three birdies.

He finished T-37 at Bethpage in 2002 and has a couple of other solid finishes in the major. Along with last year's P-2, he was T-6 at Pinehurst in 2005 and solo 4th at Southern Hills in 2001.

NBC's two-hour window begins right now. And I can't believe that I'm typing this, but the second round begins in one hour!

In its latest update, ESPN has reported that the driving range will not open until at least 2 p.m. local time, and suggested that it will be at least an hour thereafter that play would resume. Just don't bet on it.

The heaviest of the rain has moved eastward but it's still coming down and the track is absolutely saturated.

Jim Gray of Golf Channel just interviewed USGA championship committee chairman Jim Hyler, who said that rain has been falling steadily since 5:30 a.m. local time and that puddling is beginning to occur on some greens. Hyler's biggest concerns are with the 2nd green and 18th fairway. Earlier, Gray reported that a suspension in play is possible before noon today.

Yesterday, Hyler said, "We'll suspend (play). If it's not fair to be playing the ball as it lies, we'll suspend play. We'll stay here until we get a champion."

The USGA also has the benefit of the longest daylight hours of the year right now. It will most likely need them.