The forecast is, dare we say, improving?

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- I am the lone optimist among my media colleagues here, many of whom are contemplating booking their hotel rooms for the better part of next week -- if not buying properties outright.

But a look at the most recent Saturday forecast for Farmingdale on Weather.com doesn't paint quite as grim a picture as before. Whereas the word from the USGA's Jim Hyler earlier today was an 80 percent chance of rain, some of which might be heavy, it now says there's only a 60 percent chance of rain, and it may only be fleeting thunderstorms.

Now, I am not a meteorologist, nor am I even an avid follower of meteorologists, but that sounds manageable enough where second round play could -- could being the operative word -- be completed by tomorrow night. And since Sunday calls for only light rain, it's reasonable to think a pared-down field could play 36 holes and an Open champion can be crowned Sunday night.

And if I'm wrong and play drags on a few more days, well, perhaps we can all go in on a time-share together....

-- *Sam Weinman *