Jeff Overton defied difficult conditions to retain the lead in the US$6 million Turning Stone Championship on Friday.
The second round was suspended because of darkness with 23 players left on the course, after a cold, rainy, windy day that saw two weather delays.
The second round was to resume yesterday morning.
Overton, who led by one heading into the round, opened with a bogey but rebounded to post a three-under 69.
That put the American at eight-under 136, one shot in front of compatriot Tag Ridings.
Ridings signed for a four-under 68 for 137 with Australian Jason Day another shot back after a 69.
Overton said he felt right at home in the cold, wet weather, which even saw a burst of hail at one point.
“It really reminded me of playing college golf at Indiana,” he said. “I can remember playing at Ohio State a few years back ... and the golf tournament got snowed out,” he said.
“My first college golf event ever, and they were squeegeeing the greens just so you can finish the last hole,” he said. “I would definitely say I had quite a lot of experience in college golf playing in these kind of conditions. I would say 80 percent of the tournaments were like this.”
“So, it’s kind of fun and kind of feels like you’re right back at home,” he said.
Overton, 25, heads into the final two rounds poised to claim his first career PGA Tour victory.
His best finish this year was a tie for ninth at the AT&T National, and his best career finish was a runner-up last year.
Overton bounced back nicely from his bogey with three birdies on the front nine.
He got back to even-par on the day with a birdie at the fourth, and made back-to-back birdies at eight and nine.
He had just one more birdie coming in, but it was enough to maintain the lead.
Overton hit 18 greens in regulation, and said his only regret was not putting a bit better.
“I had a lot of good drives and put myself in good positions and was able to just kind of keep things going from yesterday,” he said. “Didn’t aim at a whole a lot of flags. Just wanted to hit some shots and work the ball into some holes, and was able to do that a couple times and made a couple birdies.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and