Extra day likely as rain disrupts play at US PGA
The PGA Championship was halted because of thunderstorms yesterday, raising the likelihood of a third straight fifth-day finish in a major championship at Baltusrol.
Jimmy Walker and Robert Streb, tied for the lead at 9-under par, were 40 minutes from teeing off in the third round when clouds gathered, the sky rumbled and the horn sounded to suspend play. The course was pounded with rain, and more than three hours later, play was called off for the day.
Kevin Kisner had a 5-under 65 and was done with 54 holes at 5-under 205. Padraig Harrington also had a 65 and was at 4-under 206. New Zealand’s Danny Lee was one over for his round through 11 holes when the storms came and in a tie for 47th place at even par.
Only 36 of the 86 players who made the cut finished the third round.
Phil Mickelson won the 2005 PGA Championship when tournament organisers took a gamble on not moving up the fourth-round tee times because of rain in the forecast, and it cost them. Mickelson had to return Monday morning to claim a one-shot victory.
Lee Janzen won the 1993 U.S. Open at Baltusrol over the late Payne Stewart.
The last Monday finish in a major was just last year at the British Open because of heavy rain that flooded St. Andrews.
Kisner and Harrington showed a glimpse of what figured to be low scoring because of the soft conditions from two spells of rain earlier in the week. Play had to be stopped the previous morning for nearly an hour because of moderate rain that left the two fairways on the far end of the course filled with too much water.
``You keep it in the fairway, you can attack,’’ Kisner said. ``The course is receptive enough. You can make a lot of birdies.’’
Mickelson made the cut with one shot to spare, rallying from an opening tee shot that went out-ofbounds and onto a side street. He shot a 68 in the third round and was at 1-under 209.
``There is a low 60s round,’’ Mickelson said when he finished.