The bright side of the U.S. Open rain

Monday's torrential rains drowned many people's expectations of a sunny, beautiful U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club. But there was a bright side.

For one thing, the rains kept Tiger Woods hanging around a lot longer than he typically does on practice days.

The superstar golfer was getting ready to tee off around 6:45 a.m. when lightning struck. A bullhorn sounded, play was suspended, and Woods had to return several hours later to resume play.

On a sunny day, Woods would have been done long before the 26 students from Global Leadership Academy Charter School arrived. Instead, the young golfers got there just in time to see Woods take a few shots at the 18th hole.

Tianna Hamilton, 12, analyzed his swing: "He's good. I didn't see the ball until it fell. He's too fast."

The rain also proved a perfect scapegoat for any local residents' traffic complaints - if indeed they had any. Monday's traffic was relatively smooth until the late afternoon, when yet another downpour caused some heavily trafficked commuter back roads to flood.

Turnout and traffic are expected to increase as the week goes on. But many were shocked to find Monday's commute seemingly lighter than a normal day, despite road closures, parking restrictions, and much hullabaloo in the months leading up to the event.

Chris Mills, an assistant vice president for communications at Haverford College, took a gamble leaving his house in Wayne to drop his daughter off at school and drive to work.

He made it door to door in only 25 minutes.

"Keep in mind," he said, "I'm walking out the door just as a huge thunderstorm passes over. It's not exactly the kind of morning that you say, 'Gee, I want to see some golf.' "

Officials went through exhaustive efforts to keep as many cars as possible away from the Ardmore area. They encouraged spectators to take SEPTA, walk, or park at the two free satellite lots several miles from the course.

Before the sun had fully risen Monday, the Rose Tree parking lot in Media was full. Volunteers and spectators boarded the 30-minute shuttle buses to the course, swapping theories about the forthcoming tournament.

Many were excited to see a course they said was generally "impossible" to get into - and interested to see how the pros would fare on Merion's famously compact greens.

"If it rains, they're going to murder this course," one man said. As they exited the bus, the first drops of an early-morning thunderstorm began to fall.

Later in the day, some returned to find the Rose Tree lot closed until further notice because heavy rains made it impassable. (Spectators will need to use the PPL Park area in Chester, where shuttle buses will transport spectators to Merion, or SEPTA).

No doubt, the rain was a drag. Disabled spectators had trouble navigating the waterlogged paths. Some areas turned into slippery mudslides. Fat earthworms were squished underfoot, and die-hard fans stood on the course for hours in wet socks and mud-splattered khakis.

Mike Horn, 34, was getting anxious around 10:30 a.m., after the first deluge had been cleared and the players were taking their time getting back on the course.

"I'd at least like to see someone play a hole," said Horn, who flew up from Clearwater, Fla., and had tickets only for Monday. "I couldn't care less who it is."

Keith and Ken Kolakoski enjoyed the day of brotherly bonding, no matter the weather.

"This is a museum to us," said Ken Kolakoski, 51, from Alexandria Township, N.J. "Some people like going to the Smithsonian. We like going to famous golf courses."

During one of the rain suspensions, around 3:15 p.m., they said they would pass the time "spending too much money for too few souvenirs and drinking $6.50 beer," said Keith Kolakoski, 47, of Vernon, N.J.

Officials at Merion Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association poked holes in the idea of a doomsday scenario in which weather throws a wet blanket on the best golfers in the world.

Even on Merion's 11th hole, the lowest point in the course, where two creeks meet, "the green has managed to stay above water," Merion superintendent Matt Shaffer said Monday evening as another deluge pounded rhythmically on the media tent.

"It's 10,000 to 1 we would even have that happen," said USGA executive director Mike Davis. "It is maybe the best-draining course I've ever seen."