Rain wipes out afternoon play at Riviera
Wind, rain and the snap of a large tree limb were enough to stop play Friday in the second round of the Genesis Open.
Sam Saunders remained atop the leaderboard without ever hitting a shot Friday at Riviera.
Jhonattan Vegas joined him at 7-under par and was all too happy to wait until Saturday morning — maybe — to complete his second round. The wind made it difficult to pick the right club. The rain made it difficult to gauge the speed on the greens.
But it was the crack of a eucalyptus tree that made PGA Tour officials sound the horn to get players — and spectators — off the course.
“We could have played a little bit more, but why? It’s going to get nothing but worse,” said Mark Russell, the PGA Tour’s vice president of competition. “We wanted to get them out of there when the trees started snapping.”
No one was hurt, although Russell said he heard some spectators had to scramble to safety when the eucalyptus limb fell some 30 yards behind the third green.
Miguel Angel Jimenez had a late eagle and closed with a birdie for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Chubb Classic. Doug Garwood and Scott Parel joined Jimenez atop the leaderboard on the Talon Course at The TwinEagles Club. Mike Goodes had a 66, and Scott Hoch, Tommy Armour III, Bob Tway, Duffy Waldorf and Tuesday qualifier John Elliott shot 67. Jimenez hit a 3-wood to 10 feet to set up the eagle on the par-5 sixth — his 15th hole — and made a 9-footer for birdie on the par-4 ninth.
Brett Rumford shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the World Super 6 golf tournament at Lake Karrinyup. Rumford had a two-round total of 13-under 131 in the European Tour event which is also being sanctioned by the Australian and Asian tours. David Bransdon (64) was in second place, with Steven Jeffress (66) in third, another stroke behind. Lucas Herbert and Johannes Veerman, both with 68s, were at 9 under and former British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen (68) was at 7-under.
Sarah Jane Smith shot a 6-under 67 in tough, windy afternoon conditions Friday at Royal Adelaide to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Women’s Australian Open. The Australian had a 36-hole total of 9-under 137. American Lizette Salas shot 70 to move into a four-way tie for second.