Roberts holds on to lead

The Buick Classic is as close as Loren Roberts will get to the U.S. Open this year.

Roberts, who failed to qualify for next week's Open at Bethpage State Park, shot a 3-under 68 Friday to take a one-stroke lead over David Gossett during the suspended second round.

``This is going to have to be my Open,'' said Roberts, three weeks short of his 47th birthday. ``This is an Open-style golf course, but nothing will take the place of not being able to play next week. I really had my heart set on playing there.''

The start of the second round was delayed five hours because of wet conditions after 2.2 inches of rain fell on the Westchester Country Club course Thursday night and early Friday.

None of the 78 players in the late section finished, forcing them to return early Saturday. The last group teed off at 7:10 p.m. and finished only four holes.

Roberts, known as the ``Boss of the Moss'' for the putting prowess that has carried him to seven PGA Tour titles, added the 68 to his opening 64 for a 10-under 132 total.

``I played as well as I did yesterday, but I didn't make quite as many putts,'' said Roberts, who three-putted twice in a three-hole span on the front nine.

``When I've won it's been on a real major run with the putter. I'm usually not going to beat anybody with ball-striking. I'm going to do it with the blade. And it feels very good this week.''

The 23-year-old Gossett, Roberts' neighbor in Germantown, Tenn., birdied the final two holes for a 67.

``I hope we get paired together,'' Gossett said. ``I was a junior golfer growing up watching him win on the PGA Tour and putt the eyes out of it.''

Defending champion Sergio Garcia birdied Nos. 9 and 10 in fading light to join Stewart Cink, Jerry Kelly and Chris Smith at 6-under. Cink completed nine holes, Kelly eight and Smith six.

South Africa's Retief Goosen, preparing for his U.S. Open title defense, was 5-under with seven holes left.

Because of the wet conditions, players were allowed to clean and place their balls in the fairways, possibly a factor in the completion of the round Saturday.

``It's a big advantage to get your hands on the ball,'' Roberts said. ``Just moving it a club-length can make all the difference in the lie. If there's no wind, guys should really go at it.''

Roberts holed a 40-foot putt on No. 4 for his second straight birdie, but had a three-putt par on the par-5 5th and dropped to 8-under with a three-putt bogey on No. 7.

He moved to 10-under with short birdie putts on Nos. 9 and 10, dropped a shot on the difficult par-4 12th and got back to 10-under with a 10-foot putt on 15.

Gossett, the 1999 U.S. Amateur champion who won the John Deere Classic last year to earn a PGA Tour card, had four birdies on the back nine after making the turn at even-par 36.

He made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 12th, and scrambled to save par on the par-3 16th, hitting a flop shot from deep rough to 4 feet. He closed with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th and a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th.

``This course set up well for me. It's a ball-strikers' course,'' Gossett said. ``You have to hit it straight off the tee.''

PGA champion David Toms (68) was six strokes back at 4-under 138, and Phil Mickelson (70) followed at 139. Ernie Els, the 1996-97 winner, was 3-under after 11 holes.

``We've all been in these situations before. You just have to grind itout,'' the South African star said.

Divots

Garcia was up at 5 a.m. to watch Spain's 3-1 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup. ``I wouldn't think of missing any of the games on TV,'' said Garcia, cheered on this week by girlfriend Martina Hingis. ... Joni Gossett, a freshman on Vanderbilt's golf team, is caddying for her brother. ... Vijay Singh, the 1993 and 1995 winner, will miss the cut -- projected at even par -- after rounds of 75 and 70. European stars Bernhard Langer (70-74), Jose Maria Olazabal (72-75) and Jesper Parnevik (72-76) also will have the weekend off. ... David Duval was 1-over with seven holes left, putting him in danger ofmissing the cut.

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