The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vegas shines until rain curtails 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 Country Club in Los Angeles.
Jhonattan Vegas joined him at 7-under par by going 3 under through 14 holes, and was all too happy to wait until this 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.”
It was tough on a few players, too, at least between the ears.
Hideki Matsuyama, who had a mathematical chance to reach No. 1 in the world this week with a victory, returned Friday morning to complete the first round and made three straight birdies for a 68. He likely will have to finish with three straight birdies today just to make the cut after going 6 over through 15 holes.
Defending champion Bubba Watson still had two holes to play and was 8 over, virtually assured of missing the cut. Cameron Percy of Australia was among 24 players who finished his second round. He shot a 71 and was at 5-under 137. Zac Blair and Martin Laird each shot 68 and were finished at 4-under 138.
Graeme McDowell birdied three of his last eight holes for a 70 and was at 3 under, along with Daniel Summerhays (73) and Keegan Bradley (70). Very much in the mix was Jordan Spieth, playing in the same group as Watson. He was at 5 under with two holes to play.
Still to be determined was whether the rain — and any debris — would allow the second round to resume at 7 a.m. today. Ideally, the second round would end in the mid-afternoon, making it still possible for 72 holes by Sunday.
European Tour: Brett Rumford shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the World Super 6 golf tournament at Perth, Australia.
Rumford had a two-round total of 13-under 131. David Bransdon (64) was in second place, with Steven Jeffress (66) in third, another stroke behind.
Women’s Australian Open: Sarah Jane Smith shot a 6-under 67 in windy conditions at Royal Adelaide to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds. The Australian had a 36-hole total of 9-under 137. American Lizette Salas shot 70 to move into a fourway tie for second.
Brandon Dubinsky scored just over a minute into overtime to cap a fast, taut game amid a playoff atmosphere at sold-out Nationwide Arena. Dubinsky lifted a shot over Matt Murray as he skated into the slot. Sergei Bobrovsky had 38 saves and Ryan Murray scored in the second period as Columbus moved within a point of Pittsburgh for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Murray made 37 saves, and Ian Cole scored for the Penguins, who were playing the second game of a back-toback. The Penguins lost for the first time in four games.
Mikko Rantanen scored at 4:23 of overtime, ending Colorado’s losing streak at five games. Calvin Pickard stopped 28 shots for the win.
Late
Defenseman Olli Maatta will be out six weeks after surgery on his left hand. Maatta had surgery Friday after getting hurt in Thursday night’s 4-3 overtime victory over Winnipeg. Pittsburgh defenseman Justin Schultz also sat out the third period Thursday with an undisclosed injury. The Penguins recalled Cameron Gaunce and Steve Oleksy.
Center Derek Grant left Thursday night’s game late in the first period with a shoulder injury and did not return.
Beau Bennett returned to the lineup Thursday night after missing nine games with an ankle injury.
Rookie Adrian Kempe made his NHL debut Thursday night, starting alongside Anze Kopitar and Tyler Toffoli. Kempe, selected No. 29 overall in the 2014 draft, played 15:18 and put a breakaway shot wide late in the first period.
Bo Horvat (bone bruise) and Brandon Sutter (wrist) returned to the lineup Thursday night.