PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Austin Eckroat left PGA Nationwide with a share of the lead Saturday. He left with the outright lead Sunday.
He’ll have to come back again Monday to complete the job on the Cognizant Basic.
A Monday end awaits at PGA Nationwide, after the ultimate spherical of the opening occasion on the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing was interrupted by thunderstorms that introduced practically 2 inches of rain in a rush Sunday afternoon and compelled everybody off the course for 3 1/2 hours.
Eckroat was the chief at 15 underneath by means of seven holes, one shot forward of Erik van Rooyen, who roared up the leaderboard by opening his spherical with six consecutive birdies on his solution to an 8-under 63. He completed at 14-under 270, and now waits to see what’ll occur.
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“Only a bizarre day,” Eckroat informed Golf Channel.
It is the primary time the tour occasion at PGA Nationwide — generally known as the Honda Basic till this yr — may have a Monday end since 2015.
Van Rooyen is alone in second, and Jake Knapp — the winner final week in Mexico — was 5 underneath on his day by means of 15 holes, ending Sunday at 13 underneath and alone in third, two pictures again.
Billy Horschel (5 underneath by means of 17) was within the group at 12 underneath, together with Keith Mitchell (65), Shane Lowry (who accomplished 5 holes) and Alex Noren (who accomplished 12 holes).
Van Rooyen began the day tied for thirty first and 7 pictures off the 54-hole lead that was shared by Lowry, David Skinns and Eckroat — however wanted solely eight holes to catch them. He was 8 underneath on the day by means of 11 holes and the outright chief when the rain got here, however even par following the restart.
“Being that far again, it’s important to make a run at it,” van Rooyen stated. “The course is taking part in so comfortable proper now. Getting off to an excellent begin was superior, however the rain delay in all probability did not assist me a lot. I had a lot momentum.”
And plans to play within the Seminole Professional-Am on Monday morning may need to be on maintain; PGA Nationwide is perhaps the place he heads as a substitute, simply in case.
“I feel it’s going to be a good suggestion to keep watch over it,” van Rooyen stated.
Play was suspended at 12:50 p.m. with six twosomes but to start the spherical and 50 minutes earlier than the ultimate group — Lowry and Skinns — have been scheduled to tee off. The longer the delay went, the extra a Monday end was inevitable, with sundown taking place at 6:23 p.m.
“We needed to droop as a result of it turned too harmful,” PGA Tour guidelines official Mark Dusbabek informed Golf Channel. “The system got here proper up overhead. Lightning struck three miles away so we needed to droop and get the gamers to security and the spectators.”
The delay lasted about 3 1/2 hours. Play resumed at 4:18 p.m.
Byeong Hun An shot a 6-under 65 to complete at 10-under 274, leaping from a tie for forty eighth to start the day to a tie for sixteenth when the day ended. Additionally at 10 underneath: Rory McIlroy, who bought finished by placing out about 10 minutes after the horn that suspended play for darkness blared.
