FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Ricky Barnes needed only a few words to perfectly summarize his week — make that, week and one day — at the U.S. Open.
"Let's just stick to minus 2 for the championship," Barnes quipped after a USGA volunteer noted that Barnes, a former UA All-American, shot a 6-over 76 on Monday to finish at 2 under.
Barnes, the 2002 U.S. Amateur champion, tied for second — two strokes behind playing partner Lucas Glover — after breaking the 36-hole Open scoring record and taking a six-stroke lead at 11 under during the third round.
"Was I stoked with what I shot today? No. But was I happy with the last six holes? Yes," said Barnes, who birdied the par-5 13th and closed with five pars at water-logged Bethpage Black.
He also earned $559,830 and spots in the British Open and 2010 Masters and U.S. Open — huge perks for a player who spent the last four full seasons on the Nationwide Tour, and made only six cuts and $68,667 in 12 events on the PGA Tour this year. He went into the Open No. 519 in the world and left at No. 153.
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"It was a great week," said Barnes, who opened with rounds of 67, 65 and 70. "If you told me I would have been 2 under, if you would have told me I was second, bridesmaid isn't too bad.
"But when you know you're right there, it's a tough one to swallow. But I would say a lot, lot more good came out of this week than bad."
Tied with Glover at 7 under after bogeying No. 1 on Sunday night before play was suspended because of darkness, Barnes made four straight bogeys in a front-nine 40, and also dropped strokes on consecutive holes early on the back nine.
"I don't know if I made that many mental club errors or if I would have played it differently," said Barnes. "I just needed to hit better shots."
After hitting fairway after fairway in the first 2 1/2 rounds, the 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pounder watched his drives soar well left on many holes, leaving him shaking his head and trying to figure out how to play out of knee-high grass. With his timing a fraction off, his unique lunge through the ball looked more awkward than quirky.
"I think if you don't take something out of even really good rounds and really bad rounds, then you're probably not suited for the game," he said. "You probably learn more when you play bad than when you actually play good, because when you play good, nothing bothers you."
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• The wife of golfer Chris Smith was killed and two of his children were critically injured in a fiery weekend crash.
Beth Smith died late Sunday morning on Interstate 69 near Angola in northern Indiana.
Smith's children, 16-year-old Abigail and 12-year-old Cameron, were listed in critical condition Monday morning at Fort Wayne (Ind.) Lutheran Hospital.
