Rose’s Pebble Beach lead at 2; event to end Monday
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Justin Rose was a steady presence on a day of weather that changed by the minute, playing 19 holes at 9-under par and leaving the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the dark Sunday with a two-shot lead.
The final round of the wind-delayed tournament was to be completed Monday morning, and the 42-year-old Rose was in position to win for the first time in four years.
He was at 15-under par through nine holes — his shot safely in the 10th fairway — when the final round was stopped as the sun dipped behind the Pacific horizon.
Denny McCarthy, who started the final round six shots behind, carded a 29 on the front nine at Pebble Beach to soar into contention. He chose to continue the 16th hole, hitting his approach to 15 feet and then choosing to mark his ball and stop for the night.
He was at 13 under, along with Brendon Todd (through 12 holes) and Peter Malnati, who was in the final group with Rose.
The only winner Sunday was Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who with Ben Silverman of Canada won the pro-am. Because of the wind and other weather delays, the pro-am was cut to 54 holes, leaving only professionals for the final round.
Rodgers and Silverman won by one shot.
He gets his name on the Wall of Champions in front of the first tee at Pebble Beach, which Rodgers called a “bucket list” item for him.
Rose would love to be on an adjoining plaque for tournament winners.
He was around the middle of the pack when he returned to Monterey Peninsula on Sunday morning to resume the third round. It was his golf ball blowing some 4 feet on the ninth green that led officials to stop play a day earlier.
Rose played 10 holes at 6 under for a 66 that gave him a one-shot lead after the completed third round.
Ancer picks up victory in Saudi
Abraham Ancer of Mexico closed with a 2-under 68 for a two-shot victory over Cameron Young in the Saudi International.
Ancer capped off a wire-to-wire victory, which featured a majority of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league in the field. It was his third worldwide victory.
Young, the PGA Tour rookie of the year, received a release to compete in the Asian Tour event. It was his sixth runner-up finish in the last 16 months. He caught Ancer briefly on the front nine until a two-shot swing on the eighth hole — Ancer made birdie, Young made a bogey — that restored Ancer’s two-shot lead.
Gavins holds on late to win in UAE
Daniel Gavins won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on Sunday after a wild finish that saw the Englishman twice find the water on the last hole before rolling in a titleclinching putt from 26 feet for double-bogey.
Gavins shot 3-under 69 to finish at 17 under overall, but he then had to wait to see if Zander Lombard — the third-round leader playing in the final group — could eagle the par-5 No. 18 to force a playoff.
Lombard’s eagle putt missed right, and Gavins celebrated with his girlfriend in the scoring hut. It was his second European tour title after the ISPS Handa World Invitational in 2021.