San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)

Thomas, pursuers have long day ahead

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Justin Thomas got a lot done in eight holes Saturday, leaving with a one-shot lead over Adam Scott and facing a marathon finish in the rain-delayed Genesis Open, a PGA Tour event in Los Angeles.

Thomas played six holes in the morning, nearly holing a 9-iron and then making par with a flop shot on the green and over the bunker on the par-3 sixth as he completed a 6-under-par 65 to share the 36-hole lead with Scott, who also had a 65.

They started the third round in the afternoon with only about 45 minutes of daylight, and Thomas holed a 12-foot eagle putt to take the lead. Scott missed his eagle attempt on the par-5 opening hole.

The final group hit tee shots on the third hole when it was too dark to continue. The third round is to resume at 6:45 a.m. Sunday, with the fourth round to follow.

The start of the tournament was delayed seven hours by rain Thursday and has been trying to catch up, creating a disjointed feel to the week. Thomas said he could barely feel his toes when he warmed up Saturday morning in temperatur­es in the low 40s and darkness as he set out to finish the second round. He also was up before dawn Friday to get ready to start his opening round.

“I’m still trying to get over that 6:45 a.m. start I just heard,” he said. “That’s in a couple of hours.”

Thomas was at 13-under through two holes of the third round.

Stanford alum Patrick Rodgers, who completed a 67, opened with an eagle and was two shots behind Thomas.

Tiger Woods completed seven holes and they were loud.

He made a 25-foot birdie putt from the fringe on his final hole of the second round that assured he would make the cut — he ultimately made it with one shot to spare — and then he made Riviera rock with his start to the third round.

Woods made birdie on No. 10, hit 3-wood to 10 feet for eagle on the par-5 11th, holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the 12th and a 15-foot birdie putt on the 13th. Just like that, he was tied for 12th as the leaders were just getting going.

Woods remained seven shots behind, and he stopped playing after his third shot on the par-5 17th came up short of the green.

Rory McIlroy finished off a 63 in the morning to get back in the game, and he had one birdie through three holes in the third round. He was playing with Jordan Spieth, who had a 70 in the morning to finish four behind. Spieth three-putted for par on the opening hole, missing from 3 feet, and three-putted

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