Four share Zurich lead
Woody Austin, Nicholas Thompson, Peter Lonard and Briny Baird topped the Zurich Classic leaderboard at 8 under Saturday when rain, lightning and thunder forced the suspension of third-round play in Avondale, La.
Play was stopped at 1:48 p.m., then called off for the day at 5:35 p.m. The 46 players unable to finish will try to complete the round today.
“We think we can get it all in, but everyone will have to keep moving,” PGA Tour media official Joan Alexander said.
Austin had seven holes to play, Thompson eight, Lonard 14 and Baird 15.
John Senden was the leader in the clubhouse at 7 under after a 66.
“I think the golf course has gotten progressively easier as the week has gone on because when we practiced on Tuesday it was really dry and bouncy,” Senden said.
Andres Romero, Tim Petrovic, Steve Elkington and John Merrick also were 7 under.
Eighty-one players made the cut at even-par 144 on Friday. Under the tour’s revised cut policy, the field would have been cut to the low 70 players and ties after the third round. But because of the rain delay, everyone will be able to play on today.
LPGA
Lorena Ochoa moved into position for her second straight Safeway International victory and second win in three starts this year, shooting a 4-under 68 to take the third-round lead at Superstition Mountain, Ariz.
After outdueling close friend Angela Stanford, Ochoa will be paired with Jee Young Lee today at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club.
“It’ll be a fun day,” said Ochoa, who is a stroke ahead of Stanford and Lee.
“She (Lee) hits the ball very far. She jokes to me she beats me with the driver. (Today) will be a good laugh to see who hits farther.”
Stanford followed bogeys on 13 and 14 with two finishing birdies for a 70. Lee fired her third consecutive 67.
At 16-under 200, Ochoa matched the best 54-hole total since the tournament moved to Superstition Mountain five years ago. Annika Sorenstam also was 16 under in 2004 on her way to a course record 18-under 270 total, matched last year by Ochoa.
Ochoa, the HSBC Champions winner this year in Singapore, is seeking her 16th victory in her last 48 starts since 2006 and 19th overall LPGA Tour win.
Rathdrum’s Tracy Hanson is tied for 40th at 213, and Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., is tied for 49th at 214.
Champions Tour
Bernhard Langer birdied his first two holes at the Ocean Hammock Golf Club, then avoided the mistakes that plagued his closest rivals in the Champions Tour’s Ginn Championship at Palm Coast, Fla.
The two-time Masters champion was one of only two players without a bogey on the windy Oceanside course. He shot a 6-under 66 to reach 11-under 133 and move two strokes ahead of career club pro Lonnie Nielsen (69).
Fred Funk (69), tied with Langer with three holes to play, made a bogey at No. 16 and a double bogey at No. 17 to fall into third at 8 under.
Two peers of Langer’s in the Hall of Fame, Nick Price (67) and Ben Crenshaw (68), were 5 under along with Joe Ozaki (65) and Mark McNulty (69).
Langer has won twice in 10 career starts on the Champions Tour. A winner of 63 worldwide events, Langer is taking his play on the Champions Tour seriously – evident by his four top-10 finishes in five starts this season.