Memorial Golf Halted
Bad Weather Halts Memorial's Third Round; Poston and Gerard Share Lead Before Resumption
Anonymous
Bad weather shut down the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio on Saturday, leaving J.T. Poston and Ryan Gerard tied for the lead at 9-under par. The second storm of the day hit at 4:34 p.m. ET, ending play for good with only 21 of 72 players having finished their rounds, according to Golf Channel.
The round is set to resume Sunday morning at 7 a.m. ET, per AP News. That means leaders Poston and Gerard will face roughly 31 holes of golf in a single day — 13 to finish Round 3, then a full 18-hole final round.
Poston and Gerard Hold Slim Lead Amid Chaos
J.T. Poston and Ryan Gerard sat at 9-under par when the horn sounded, one shot clear of Sam Burns in third. Gerard described the sudden shift in conditions as jarring. "I was spraying sunscreen and all of a sudden it started going all over the place," he told Associated Press. "It's a test of patience."
Poston had already shown his grit earlier in the week. After his second-round 65, he called it "the hardest round of golf that I can remember," according to WDBO. Both leaders were only through five holes of Round 3 when play stopped, leaving most of their work still ahead.
Scheffler's Charge Stalls With Back-to-Back Bogeys
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler looked dangerous early. He made an eagle to surge up the leaderboard. Then bogeys on holes 12 and 14 halted his run. By the time play stopped, the two-time defending champion sat at 1-under par, well off the pace.
The delay may have actually helped Scheffler avoid further damage. Analysts at EssentiallySports noted the suspension came just as his round was starting to unravel. He had said earlier in the week, "I don't know what to do... You cannot get the wind wrong," per FOX Sports.
Storms Soften the Course, Changing Sunday's Strategy
The storms brought rain and hail to Muirfield Village, softening greens that normally play "fast, firm, and frightening," according to AP News. That could mean more receptive greens on Sunday. Softer conditions tend to favor aggressive players who attack pins.
Harris English was one of the 21 players who did finish Round 3. He posted the day's best completed score — a 3-under 213 — per Newsday. PGA Tour Senior Director Mark Dusbabek said the storm kept "building and building," making it impossible to continue, per CBS Sports.
U.S. Open Qualifying Looms Over an Already Long Sunday
The weather delay creates a serious crunch for some players. Monday, June 8, is U.S. Open Final Qualifying day. Several Memorial participants are scheduled to play 36 holes at nearby courses in Ohio — less than 24 hours after finishing a marathon Sunday at the Memorial, according to the USGA.
To get everyone done in time, Round 4 will use split tees at holes 1 and 10, with players going off in threesomes. The total prize purse for the tournament is $20 million, with $4 million going to the winner, per CBS Sports. The stakes on Sunday could not be higher.
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