Pebble Beach halted by wind

A strong wind was more than just a menace at the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm. It brought the tournament to a halt Saturday because of two holes on one of the courses, and set up a Monday finish without the amateurs.

Keith Mitchell made it through the worst stretch of wind at Pebble Beach, so strong that he hit an eightiron on the 106-yard seventh hole. And right when he thought he was off the hook by getting through the ocean holes, play was stopped.

“We knew going into today that those were going to be the tough holes. That was going to be the hardest stretch potentially all week,” Mitchell said. “If we could make it through that stretch in a relatively good score, I would be set up for the weekend.”

He made it through, and after a big drive on No. 11 with the wind at his back, he suddenly had the rest of the day off.

Peter Malnati was atop the leaderboard at 12 under with six holes left in his round at Pebble Beach. He started on the back nine along the ocean in benign conditions, and he was on the fourth green, coming off three straight birdies, when play stopped.

Mitchell, playing alongside Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, and Joseph Bramlett, playing with Welsh soccer star Gareth Bale, were at 10 under.

Kurt Kitayama, the 36hole leader, and Hank Lebioda were three shots behind. They were at Spyglass Hill.

The culprit was the Shore course at Monterey Peninsula, particularly the stretch that runs along the ocean. Gary Young, the PGA Tour’s chief referee, began getting reports that balls were moving on the greens. He said one amateur hit a putt and the wind began to blow it back toward the player.

The third round was to resume Sunday morning, and the amateurs had the option to return and complete a pro-am that will be only 54 holes.

The 54-hole cut typically is top 60 to account for the 25 amateurs. Now it will revert to top 65 and ties, and it will be professionals only for the final round.

Elsewhere

South African golfer Zander Lombard finished birdie-birdie to shoot a bogeyfree round of nine-under 63 and take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, a European tour event in United Arab Emirates . ... Abraham Ancer shot a six-under 64 to bump his lead to two shots over Cameron Young going into the final round of the Saudi International, an Asian tour event at King Abdullah Economic City.