Bjorn up by one at rain-battered Singapore Open
Source: Agencies |
November 11, 2012, Sunday
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DENMARK'S Thomas Bjorn had to wait more than 36 hours to tee off in the second round of the rain-soaked Singapore Open yesterday. The delay may have done him good.
Bjorn shot a 67 to move into the lead and held on to a one-stroke advantage over England's Chris Wood in the third round before play was halted due to darkness.
Tropical downpours caused havoc with the schedule this week, forcing organizers to finish the second round early yesterday and then hurriedly start the third round hours later. Officials are still planning to play 72 holes unless storms cause more delays today.
Bjorn was sitting at 9 under after completing three holes in the third round. South Africa's George Coetzee was in third place at 7 under, one stroke ahead of Italy's Francesco Molinari and Thailand's Chapchai Nirat.
Rory McIlroy was at 4 under overall, five strokes behind the leader. The Northern Irishman started to make a run at the start of the third round with a birdie and an eagle on the par-5 4th hole, but he hit into the water off his tee shot on the sixth and took a double bogey. He was tied 13th after nine holes.
"I'll need to go out and try to make a few birdies in the morning and get myself within a couple shots of the lead, or a few shots off the lead, going into the fourth round - if it ever happens," McIlroy said. "The more golf we play, the better chance I have of winning."
Four-time major winner Phil Mickelson barely made the cut after the second round, holing a birdie on the 18th for a 70.
Stormy weather has caused lengthy delays for the second straight year. A year ago, rain forced organizers to shorten the tournament to 54 holes and a playoff to decide the winner still had to be held on Monday morning.
Bjorn made six birdies to shoot a 66 in the first round on Thursday, then didn't get on the course at all on Friday because of the rain. The long wait didn't throw off his rhythm as he put together four more birdies, sinking a 20-foot putt on the par-3 14th for the last, in a bogey-free round.
The 41-year-old Dane captured three tournaments on the European Tour and finished fourth at the British Open last season, but he's yet to hoist a trophy so far this year.
"This course can very quickly bite you, especially if you don't drive the ball well. The numbers can run up on this golf course, so you got to stay with what you're doing," Bjorn said.
McIlroy still has a chance to clinch the European Tour money title here. A third-place finish would all but assure he'll finish the year atop the list, no matter how he fares at the Dubai World Championship.
He is trying to emulate Luke Donald's 2011 feat of winning both the PGA Tour and European money titles in the same season. He's already clinched the PGA title with more than US$8 million in winnings.
Bjorn shot a 67 to move into the lead and held on to a one-stroke advantage over England's Chris Wood in the third round before play was halted due to darkness.
Tropical downpours caused havoc with the schedule this week, forcing organizers to finish the second round early yesterday and then hurriedly start the third round hours later. Officials are still planning to play 72 holes unless storms cause more delays today.
Bjorn was sitting at 9 under after completing three holes in the third round. South Africa's George Coetzee was in third place at 7 under, one stroke ahead of Italy's Francesco Molinari and Thailand's Chapchai Nirat.
Rory McIlroy was at 4 under overall, five strokes behind the leader. The Northern Irishman started to make a run at the start of the third round with a birdie and an eagle on the par-5 4th hole, but he hit into the water off his tee shot on the sixth and took a double bogey. He was tied 13th after nine holes.
"I'll need to go out and try to make a few birdies in the morning and get myself within a couple shots of the lead, or a few shots off the lead, going into the fourth round - if it ever happens," McIlroy said. "The more golf we play, the better chance I have of winning."
Four-time major winner Phil Mickelson barely made the cut after the second round, holing a birdie on the 18th for a 70.
Stormy weather has caused lengthy delays for the second straight year. A year ago, rain forced organizers to shorten the tournament to 54 holes and a playoff to decide the winner still had to be held on Monday morning.
Bjorn made six birdies to shoot a 66 in the first round on Thursday, then didn't get on the course at all on Friday because of the rain. The long wait didn't throw off his rhythm as he put together four more birdies, sinking a 20-foot putt on the par-3 14th for the last, in a bogey-free round.
The 41-year-old Dane captured three tournaments on the European Tour and finished fourth at the British Open last season, but he's yet to hoist a trophy so far this year.
"This course can very quickly bite you, especially if you don't drive the ball well. The numbers can run up on this golf course, so you got to stay with what you're doing," Bjorn said.
McIlroy still has a chance to clinch the European Tour money title here. A third-place finish would all but assure he'll finish the year atop the list, no matter how he fares at the Dubai World Championship.
He is trying to emulate Luke Donald's 2011 feat of winning both the PGA Tour and European money titles in the same season. He's already clinched the PGA title with more than US$8 million in winnings.
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