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June 19, 2009

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Nobody knows for sure when the 109th U.S. Open will conclude. It could be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.

Two things are certain: the USGA will play 72 holes and will not allow players to lift, clean and place golf balls.

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Almost everyone agrees late first-round starters received a huge break. They played in ideal scoring conditions Friday and many players took advantage of it. And no, they don't feel guilty.

"We've all been on both ends of the draw. You get good, you get bad. And there's no question, our side of the draw got the better of it. Feel sympathy, I don't know about that. I've had it plenty of times the other way. I don't think anybody feels sympathy out here." -- Mike Weir

"Who says I wasn't pissing and moaning? It is what it is. U.S. Opens aren't fair in a lot of ways." -- Geoff Ogilvy

"If you're going to play a lot and you get it going, it helps, because you've got momentum. Those guys that had to play five six holes and then break off and come back yesterday and sit around until mid-morning, it's kind of tough." -- Lucas Glover

"You realize you've got the short end of the stick. When you're sitting in your hotel room and I watched it yesterday and it was a birdie-fest and everybody that they showed was flying it in there and making birdies left and right; and we were struggling to make pars and stuff like that.

But, you can't dwell on that. I've done that in the past where you sit there and tell yourself that you got the raw end of the deal. You know that you did, but you just can't sit there and keep beating it into yourself because all of a sudden that brings you down and you get a bad attitude about things." -- Steve Stricker, who had a poor draw but shot 66 in the second round and was tied for 12th

"It was great yesterday afternoon, sitting and watching them play and all that, and so I really felt for them sweating in that heat." -- Lee Westwood, who overcame a tough draw to shoot 66 in the second round and was tied for seventh

"It ain't gonna this year." -- David Duval, on the tradition of the U.S. Open ending on Father's Day

The USGA wanted to hold the U.S. Open on a public course, which is admirable. But after countless days of rain, the greens are showing wear and tear.

"The greens are so bumpy and so slow. They're getting slower and slower. You don't want to run the ball past the hole, trust me. It's a little tough coming back." -- Tiger Woods

On the difficulty of dealing with weather delays:

"It's been a lot of starting and stopping this week. It's just been a test of patience and trying to be in the right state of mind each time you come out not to let things change too much. It's difficult for everybody." -- Weir

"We've done it before. We've played so many years out here on tour, it is what it is. It rains. You're called off. You're pulled back in. You get ready, go back out." -- Woods

"Whenever they tell me to play, I'll play. I have no problems with standing here between Tuesday and Wednesday, whenever this tournament is going to finish, as long as I can play well on those days." --* Rory McIlroy *

Duval on motivation:

"Well, one, I love playing the game. I love competing. But more than that, I'd really like my wife and my family to see how I can actually play this game. They haven't seen me at my best, and I want them to." -- David Duval, former No. 1-ranked player in the world, on what keeps him motivated to play

Quote of the day:

"K.J., you sexy beast." -- Relaxed fan on the 10th tee when K.J. Choi was introduced for start of third round

Fans love Maltbie:

"Everybody loves a drunk." -- NBC foot soldier Roger Maltbie after receiving a rousing reception from the bleacher fans when he approached the 13th green Saturday while following Tiger Woods, Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington

Mark Soltau is a contributing editor to Golf Digest and the editor of TigerWoods.com.