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After a dreary, rain-drenched day at Bethpage that put most everyone into a blue mood, US Open players and fans celebrated a sunny day and great scoring conditions at the Black Course.

An inch-and-a-half of rain submerged the course during Thursday's scheduled opening round, which was abandoned after just over three hours, and groundstaff worked feverishly to prepare for Friday's long day of golf.

"It's amazing the job the staff did to get the place ready," said Mike Weir, who led after the first round before falling two shots back midway through the second. "It was just incredible.

"Look I'm wearing white shoes and they were hardly dirty at all. It was amazing from what I saw in the pictures yesterday what the weather was."

Briton Graeme McDowell, who played his first seven holes in one-over on Thursday, came back Friday to complete a one-under 69.

"Coming back this morning we were unbelievably surprised at how good the groundstaff had prepared the course," the Northern Irishman said.

Peter Hanson of Sweden said he was amazed by the job done by a work crew of more than 200, including volunteers.

"Playing conditions today were absolutely fantastic and I'm very amazed to see the course as dry as it is," said the Swede, who posted a first-round 66.

Lining the suddenly playable Bethpage course were jubilant galleries, energised by sunshine and uninterrupted golf from the game's top players.

Former world number one David Duval, playing his first US major since 2006, also praised Bethpage.

"This has to be one of the four or five best Open venues we ever play and I'm sure they are going to come back again," he said. "I just love the people up here. I love how they try to get involved and are involved. That's part of playing here."

The noisy New York crowd, many of whom were familiar with the intricacies of the A.W. Tillinghast-designed public course, lavished their loudest cheers on world number two Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson - who skipped a pair of recent tournaments to be with his wife, Amy, who is about to begin breast cancer treatment - was also the crowd favourite at the 2002 Open at Bethpage when he was runner-up to Tiger Woods.

"It was an amazing day, with the way the people treated everybody, but I certainly felt it," Mickelson said. "It was very cool."

Reuters