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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Ricky Barnes … hmmmm …

Sounds familiar.

Big kid, right? Blond? Won the 2002 U.S. Amateur then went into golf’s version of the witness protection program on the Nationwide Tour?

That’s the guy, now owner of the U.S. Open’s all-time 36-hole scoring record and the championship lead at water-logged Bethpage Black entering Sunday where it’s possible – but not necessarily probable – this weather-wrecked Open could reach its conclusion.

Barnes, whose 8-under-par 132 total is the best 36-hole score in 109 Opens, is one shot clear of former Clemson golfer Lucas Glover, who had his own slow-dance with a major championship record on a surprising Saturday.

Glover, who plays golf with his cap pulled so low his nose is barely visible, shot a second-round 64 that was just a stroke off equaling the all-time scoring record in a major championship.

“Obviously at the beginning of the week you didn’t think that score was out there,” Barnes said. “But if you had told me I would have been 8-under and only had a one-shot lead, I would have said, ‘You’re kidding me.’ ”

The same goes for the disjointed, momentum-killing pace of play caused by the rain, which stayed away most of the day before finally halting the late-starting third round at 7:09 p.m. EDT, shortly before Barnes and Glover were scheduled to tee off.

Play is scheduled to resume at 7:30 a.m. today, but there’s a 70 percent chance of rain. If there are no significant suspensions today, it’s possible the tournament will conclude (barring an 18-hole playoff). But nothing has gone according to schedule at this Open.

It will take something dramatic for either Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson to factor into the equation. Mickelson is on the edge of contention at 1 under par through 37 holes while Woods is 11 strokes behind Barnes, having played one hole in his third round.

Barnes had the look of a can’t-miss kid when he won the 2002 U.S. Amateur, beating Bill Haas and Hunter Mahan in his last two matches.

Powerfully built and full of confidence, Barnes beat Tiger Woods by six strokes when they were paired together in the first two rounds of the 2003 Masters.

And that’s about when Barnes faded from the scene. Golf’s next great player was someone else.

“The only guy I can blame is the guy in the mirror and that’s why I love this sport,” Barnes said.

Now 28, Barnes was nearly flawless in the first two rounds, hitting 31 of 36 fairways. He had the benefit of playing in the best conditions over the first three days but he also took advantage of his opportunities.

Ranked 519th in the world, Barnes needs to string together some high finishes or he will be in danger of losing the PGA Tour card he needed six years to get.

“Could I have predicted I would shoot 132? No,” Barnes said. “Did I know I had it in me? Yeah. I’m starting to play well.”

Like Glover, former University of Nevada Las Vegas golfer Ryan Moore is a contemporary of Barnes, who was a dominant figure playing at Arizona.

“Everybody knows (Barnes is) capable of doing what he’s doing,” Moore said. “It doesn’t surprise me one bit. He’s one of those guys who can shoot (low) scores. He doesn’t care where he is and when he does it.”

Glover had the lead when play was suspended Friday night and rolled his momentum into Saturday morning despite getting up at 4:50 a.m.

He has driven the ball beautifully, avoiding the danger lurking off Bethpage’s fairways. It was an area of emphasis for Glover in his pre-tournament work, as were 6-foot putts like the ones players so often have for par in the Open.

Glover would like to have his birdie putt back on the ninth green. He had a 20-footer to tie the major championship scoring record (held by several players) of 63 but didn’t make a good stroke.

He knew what one more birdie would mean.

“I weenied out and left it short,” Glover said.

He did, however, say it was as good a round as he’s played.