Eckroat leads Cognizant, but rain delays finish
Austin Eckroat left PGA National with a share of the lead Saturday. He left with the outright lead Sunday.
He'll have to come back today to finish the job at the Cognizant Classic.
A Monday finish awaits at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., after the final round of the opening event on the PGA Tour's Florida Swing was interrupted by thunderstorms that brought nearly 2 inches of rain in a hurry Sunday afternoon and forced everyone off the course for 31/2 hours.
Eckroat was the leader at 15 under through seven holes, one shot ahead of Erik van Rooyen — who roared up the leaderboard by opening his round with six consecutive birdies on his way to an 8-under 63. He finished at 14-under 270, and now waits to see what'll happen.
“Just a weird day,” Eckroat told Golf Channel.
It's the first time the tour event at PGA National — known as the Honda Classic until this year — will have a Monday finish since 2015.
Van Rooyen is alone in second, and Jake Knapp — the winner last week in Mexico — was 5 under on his day through 15 holes, ending Sunday at 13 under and alone in third, two shots back.
Billy Horschel (5 under through 17) was in the group at 12 under, along with Keith Mitchell (65), Shane Lowry (who completed five holes) and Alex Noren (who completed 12 holes).
Van Rooyen started the day tied for 31st and seven shots off the 54-hole lead that was shared by Lowry, David Skinns and Eckroat — but needed only eight holes to catch them. He was 8 under on the day through 11 holes and the outright leader when the rain came, but even par following the restart.
“Being that far back, you know you have to make a run at it,” van Rooyen said. “The course is playing so soft right now. Getting off to a great start was awesome, but the rain delay probably didn't help me much. I had so much momentum.”
And plans to play in the Seminole Pro-Am this morning might have to be on hold; PGA National might be where he heads instead, just in case.
LIV Golf
Joaquin Niemann won his second LIV Golf title in three starts, closing with a 4-under 66 at LIV Golf Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for a four-shot victory over Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
Anthony Kim, who had gone 12 years without competitive golf until signing a deal with LIV Golf this week, had a 74 and finished his week in last place, 33 shots out of the lead in last place.
LPGA Tour
Australian Hannah Green made a stunning 30-foot birdie at the final hole to clinch a one-stroke victory over Celine Boutier at the LPGA Tour's HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.
Green made six birdies, three of which came in the final three holes, against one bogey in a final round 67 for a 13-under-par 275 at Sentosa Golf Club.
It was the 27-year-old Australian's fourth LPGA title, and first since the JM Eagle LA Championship last year.
“I knew on the greens I needed to be aggressive and make sure I got the putt past the hole versus leaving them short,” said Green after her dramatic finish.
Boutier (67), who had said on Saturday she was attending Taylor Swift's Singapore concert as “a nice way to relax” for the final round, seemed destined to win on Sunday as she pulled two strokes clear in the final stages only for Green to produce some magic of her own to take the win.
The 30-year-old Frenchwoman, who won four titles last season including wins at the Women's Scottish Open and the Evian Championship for her first major title, finished at 12 underpar-276.
DP World Tour
Jordan Gumberg, an American ranked No. 669, was a surprise winner of the SDC Championship when he beat Robin Williams in a playoff. The final round went to a playoff only after Williams made double-bogey at the 17th hole to move to 12 under with Gumberg.
Gumberg, 28, who started the day three shots off the lead, holed a birdie putt from around 15 feet at the second playoff hole for victory.
Gumberg shot 68 in the final round. Williams shot 69.
“I never really got this far in my dreams,” he said. “So I'm kind of at a loss for words but it means everything.”