SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey — The third round of the PGA Championship was washed out Saturday, as heavy rain and thunderstorms hit Baltusrol with 49 players yet to finish and the top 10 players still to tee off.
Players will return Sunday to the drenched par-70 layout at 7 AM ET (1100 GMT) to resume play, with more threatening weather in the forecast.
The year’s final major championship appeared to be heading for a Monday finish at best as Americans Jimmy Walker and Robert Streb, tied on nine-under-par 131, lead through 36 holes.
The PGA of America, however, laid out a plan to get the tournament completed on Sunday, saying the final round would begin at 8:40 AM ET in nine-minute intervals, staying in the same pairings as round three, starting from the first tee.
That ambitious plan would rely on no further weather stoppages.
Tournament chief official Kerry Haigh said that despite the forecast of storms Saturday, and a similar forecast for Sunday, the decision was made not to play from two tees or in threesomes.
“It’s a major championship and we certainly try and look at starting from one tee wherever we can,” Haigh told reporters after play was called Saturday.
“Unfortunately the weather didn’t help us today. I think we have sort of a similar forecast for tomorrow. Our hope is that those showers or storms hit elsewhere.
“We do have Monday as an option, to continue into Monday if we need be. But our primary aim is to try and finish tomorrow evening.”
Two shots off the pace are defending champion Jason Day of Australia and 23-year-old Argentinian Emiliano Grillo. Another stroke back lurks British Open winner Henrik Stenson of Sweden.
Ariya powers to the top
Ariya Jutanugarn is a thunderous hitter and she powered her way to the top of the leaderboard with a third-round 66 in the Women’s British Open Saturday.
The 20-year-old Thai had a flawless six-birdie round, including a chip in from the edge of the green at the short eighth.
Her 16-under-par 200 total is a 54-hole record for the championship and she leads by two shots from South Korea’s Lee Mi-rim, who had led after the first round and at halfway and stayed well in touch with a 69.
American Mo Martin, the 2014 champion, is one of the shortest from the tee on Tour but she proved she is something of a British Open specialist with a 69 for third place on 11 under par. Catriona Matthew, with a 71, was the top Briton on 10 under.
Jutanugarn played in her first LPGA event when she was just 11 — she was the youngest ever qualifier at the Thailand LPGA Classic — but last season’s rookie season was ruined by a shoulder injury caused by pranking around with a water bottle in a play fight with her older sister.
A household name back home in Thailand, Jutanugarn grew up admiring Tiger Woods — as she pointed out, he has Thai heritage — and she has already carved out her own little bit of history.
World No.1 Lydia Ko had her best round of the championship with a three-under-par 69, although a double-bogey at the 18th rather spoiled her otherwise flawless card.
Ireland’s Leona Maguire, with a terrific 68, was the leading amateur on seven-under par.
