Times wires
Saturday, May 14, 2011
PONTE VEDRA BEACH — Nick Watney and Graeme McDowell topped the leaderboard after a short day of work Saturday in The Players Championship. The winner of golf's richest prize will have to work overtime.
After storms delayed the third round by 4½ hours and softened TPC Sawgrass, Watney and McDowell came out firing in the twilight to reach 11 under par through only five holes when play was suspended by darkness.
The biggest move all day might have been a pine that was toppled by a big gust during the thunderstorms.
David Toms, the 36-hole leader who waited until dinnertime to tee off, only played five holes. He made all pars, and probably was happy to stop. Toms had birdie putts inside 12 feet on every hole — two of them less than 7 feet — and missed them all to stay at 10 under. Steve Stricker also was at 10 under after two birdies.
Only 40 players finished.
That included Ian Poulter, who had reason to be exhausted for other reasons. Realizing that play was going to be stopped, and not wanting to return at 7:45 a.m. today to finish one hole, he sprinted to the 17th green, quickly two-putted for par, then ran toward the 18th tee and hit his tee shot as the group in front was just leaving the tee.
It's common in tournament golf that once any player in a group tees off, the entire group is allowed to finish the hole. Poulter finished with bogey for 74, but at least he gets to sleep in. So does playing partner Dustin Johnson, who shot 73.
"A little 300-yard sprint is well worth four hours in bed," Poulter said.
The third round is set to resume this morning, and threesomes then will be sent out in the afternoon.
"I could see someone going and shooting 62, 63 (today)," McDowell said. "I think there's a low score on this golf course, depending on what the wind does."
Peter Hanson bogeyed the last hole for 66. Phil Mickelson barely finished, just not the way he would have liked. He eagled the 16th and birdied No. 17 but ended with a bogey for a 69. He was at 5-under 211.
"I had a good finish until that bogey on 18," Mickelson said. "That eagle on 16 and birdie on 17 got me into position where I thought you never know what might happen (today). So I've got to go low."
PLAYER DISPUTE: Sean O'Hair said he and Rory Sabbatini talked by phone the week after their profanity-filled argument on the course in New Orleans and are ready to move on. "He apologized and I apologized," O'Hair said. "Life goes on." The PGA Tour has yet to respond. It does not make any discipline public.
EUROPEAN: Chris Wood shot 1-under 69 to extend his lead in the Iberdrola Open to four strokes after the third round in Son Servera, Spain. He was at 9-under 201. Shane Lowry shot 63 to equal the course record, set Thursday by Gregory Bourdy, and was at 5 under along with Darren Clarke (70).
