Brian Stuard has one-shot lead after two rounds at rain-delayed Zurich Classic
Brian Stuard walks off the ninth green after finishing the continuaiton of the second round of the Zurich Classic on Saturday.
Brian Stuard completed his second straight bogey-free round to take a one-shot lead in the waterlogged Zurich Classic.
Stuard played just six holes Saturday, completing his second round with a four-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Jamie Landmark and Jhonattan Vegas were tied for second. They finished the second round Friday.
The 33-year-old Stuard, winless on the PGA Tour, continued his steady play with two birdies Some players were able to begin the third round on Saturday before thunderstorms swept through the area, but the leaders haven’t teed off.
Top-ranked Day was five strokes behind Stuard after shooting a 68 in the second round.
Rain delays have interrupted two of the three days of the tournament. More rain is forecast for Sunday.
PGA Tour tournament director Steve Carman said there is a small possibility that all four rounds of the tournament could be completed Sunday, but with more rain expected, a Monday finish is more likely.
“If we get any stoppage, then we’ll be playing golf on Monday, provided the forecast and the golf course can support that,” Carman said. “So, it’s just really a wait and see position that we’re in.”
It’s just the second time in Stuard’s career that he’s had the lead after 36 holes. He said the threat of impending rain won’t affect how he plays when, or if, he’s able to get on the course Sunday.
“I think you’ve just got to go out and play it one shot at a time and whatever happens, happens,” Stuard said.
Lovemark and Vegas didn’t play at all Saturday, getting some rest after a long Friday. Lovemark played 27 holes on Friday to jump into contention with a second-round 66. Vegas completed 30 1/2 holes and finished the second round with a 69.
Stuard, Lovemark and Vegas have a sizable jump on the rest of the field. Six players, including Charles Howell III, were four strokes back at eight under. Day was among a dozen players five shots behind Stuard.
Piller on verge of first LPGA win
Gerina Piller took a two-stroke lead in the LPGA Tour’s Volunteers of America Texas Shootout, putting her in position for a breakthrough victory in her home event.
Winless in 123 career starts, the 31-year-old Piller shot a bogey-free four-under 67 to reach 14-under 199 at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas.
The long-hitting U.S. Solheim Cup hero lives in Plano, about 20 miles from Las Colinas. She grew up in Roswell, New Mexico, and played at the University Texas-El Paso.
Piller has hit 52 of 54 greens in regulation, with the two misses coming in the first round Thursday.
South Korean players held the next four spots on the leaderboard. Amy Yang (65) and Mi Jung Hur (66) were tied for second at 12 under, and Jenny Shin (65), Sei Young Kim (68) were 10 under. Hur lives in the area in McKinney.
Bjerregaard leads China Open
Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark fired a seven-under 65 to join Felipe Aguilar of Chile atop the China Open leaderboard after the third round on Saturday.
Bjerregaard started strong with an eagle on the par-four No. 3 and added five birdies. Aguilar carded a 67 for a combined 16-under 200, and a two-shot lead over four others.
Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts matched the low round of the day with a 65, and was tied for third at 14 under with local favorite Li Haotong (66), England’s Tyrrell Hatton (67), and Alex Noren of Sweden (68).
A win for Bjerregaard would be his first on the European Tour. Aguilar, who led after the second round, birdied the par-five 18th for a third straight day to get back to the top of the leaderboard.
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