Long day ahead for PGA Tour
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Rickie Fowler woke up at 5 a.m. Saturday and played three holes in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba Resort. It was enough to get him a three-way share of the 36-hole lead at the PGA Tour event, which is set for a marathon finish today.
Fowler and Patrick Rodgers had to wait out a five-hour rain delay just to resume their second round Saturday. Fowler saved par from a bunker on the 18th hole for a 4-under 67, while Rodgers finally make his first bogey of the tournament on his 17th hole and had to settle for a 65.
They shared the lead at 10-under 132 with Patton Kizzire, who hasn’t hit a shot since his 70 on Friday.
The last three groups didn’t have enough light at El Camaleon Golf Club to even start the third round, leaving them a 36-hole finish today with lift, clean and place rules in effect through the greens. But that’s only if the weather at this rain-plagued event allows. More thunderstorms, with heavy downpours, were in the forecast for today and Monday.
“We deal with weather every once in a while on the PGA Tour, around the world, really,” said Fowler, at No. 10 the highestranked player at Mayakoba. “You kind of just learn to play when you get to play, relax when you get to relax. Rest when you can, tee it up when you can.”
John Oda, playing the PGA Tour for the first time as a pro, shot a 65 and was one shot behind, along with 31-year-old rookie Brandon Harkins and Brian Gay, neither of whom hit a shot Saturday because they were already done with their second rounds.
Former Baylor School standout Keith Mitchell wrapped up a second-round 75 and was tied for 65th at 1 under, making the cut on the number. Former Red Raiders Harris English, Stephan Jaeger and Luke List missed the cut.
Big win for Feng
HAINAN, China — Shanshan Feng closed with a 2-under 70 to win the Blue Bay LPGA by one stroke over Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugran, who also shot a 70 and narrowly missed a birdie attempt on the final hole at Jian Lake.
With the victory, Feng is projected to become the first topranked golfer — male or female — from China.
“I finished first in China, so I actually claimed the world No. 1 in front of all the people at home,” Feng said after finishing at 9-under 279. “I’m really happy about that, and I hope all the Chinese are going to be watching me … Hopefully there will be more Chinese getting on the tours and more world No. 1s coming up from China.”
Feng also became the LPGA Tour’s first back-to-back winner of 2017. She won the Japan Classic this past Sunday.
Tied for third in China were Ashleigh Buhai (73), Megan Khang (68), Jessica Korda (71) and Sung Hyun Park (72), who currently holds the top ranking.
Goydos by a shot
PHOENIX — Paul Goydos shot a 5-under 66 and held a onestroke lead after two rounds at the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Goydos, trying to repeat as the tournament’s champion, was a 12-under 130 at Phoenix Country Club, just ahead of two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen (67). He birdied the par-5 18th playing alongside Goydos in the final group.
Bernhard Langer, trying to sweep the three playoff events and win the season points title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall, was tied for 22nd at 3 under in the 36-man field after a 68.
Billy Mayfair (65) and Kevin Sutherland (63) — his closing eagle sealed the best round of the tournament — were tied for third at 10 under. Glen Day (68), David Frost (65) and David Toms (67) were another shot back and tied for fifth.
Duel in Sun City
SUN CITY, South Africa — A bogey-free 67 gave Scott Jamieson a 1-shot lead heading into the final round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Jamieson edged ahead of second-round leader Victor Dubuisson (71) to set up a chance at what would be his second European Tour victory. Five years ago, he won the Nelson Mandela Championship, also in South Africa.
“It would be the biggest moment of my career, I’ll be well aware of that tomorrow,” Jamieson said. “I’ve got to see if I can step up to the challenge.”
Jamieson made five birdies in his third round to move to 8-under 208. Brandon Grace (68) and Martin Kaymer (69) were tied for third at 5 under.
Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood finally found his form with a 5-under 67, moving into a tie for seventh at 2 under. He would wrap up the Race to Dubai title with a victory today, but even a strong finish could extend his points standings lead over Justin Rose ahead of the season-ending Tour Championship next weekend.