Burden of first round weighed heavy

So, my campaign at the 109th US Open finally came to an end. I did get some decent weather, and I was fairly happy with my second round, a three-over 73, but with the burden of a first round 78, it was too much to expect to go into the final two rounds, writes Jeev Milkha Singh.

So, my campaign at the 109th US Open finally came to an end. I did get some decent weather, and I was fairly happy with my second round, a three-over 73, but with the burden of a first round 78, it was too much to expect to go into the final two rounds.

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After sitting back through much of the second half of Thursday and again the second half of Friday, it was indeed a pleasure to get back to golf in good conditions on Saturday morning.

I had a bad start, maybe the anxiety of trying to make up for the first day had the affect. I dropped an early double bogey on the 11th, but made no mistakes on the 12th, where I had the costliest triple on Thursday.

But after that I settled down. I was par for the remaining 13 holes, with one bogey on the sixth and my day's only birdie on the seventh, where I had a great second shot.

I feel even if it is a Major, I must be 100 per cent when I tee off. Through the two rounds, there was always some tentativeness. I am taking some time off to rest the intercostal muscles in the ribcage area.

Ricky Barnes, who was seen as a promising amateur in 2002, when the US Open first came to Bethpage Black, is on the top of the leaderboard.

He was at a record eight-under 132 and one shot ahead of Lucas Glover at 133.

Tiger Woods played a one-under and he is three-over for two rounds and 11 behind. That's a lot, but you never know with him!

Phil Mickelson, the crowd favourite, is one-under and he could be a factor on Sunday, while Mike Weir shot a brilliant 64 on the first day and he is very much there at six-under. Lee Westwood missed a lot of birdies but was still in at two-under 138.

Don't be surprised to see an experienced hand coming out and winning. After all, handling a Major is also about experience.