Lee Westwood defied the rain and a bad draw to climb into the top 10 at the US Open on Saturday as PGA Tour rookie Ricky Barnes took the one-shot halfway lead at Bethpage Black and Tiger Woods made the cut.

There was less luck for a sizeable section of the European contingent as Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey and Luke Donald were among those sent packing with the cut line established at four over par.

Westwood, starting the day at two over par, shot a four-under-par 66 for his second round in the worst conditions of the day as rain poured constantly through the afternoon on Long Island.

He joins fellow Englishman Ross Fisher at two under par for the tournament, six shots back on Barnes who earlier in the day carded a five-under-par second-round 65 in the best of the conditions playing back-to-back rounds yesterday and this morning.

"I just went out with the idea of trying to be in front on my side of the draw," Westwood said.

"I've managed to do that so I'm delighted."

Barnes, the 2002 US Amateur champion who earned his tour card this year after six years as a professional, leads at eight under, his 132 the lowest 36-hole total in US Open history.

It puts him one ahead of Friday leader Lucas Glover, who posted a six-under-par 64, and another shot in front of first-round leader Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion from Canada who added a 70 to his opening 64.

Those three were set to get the third round way in a group of three with the lower half of the leaderboard playing from the 10th.