The leading contenders JB Holmes, Charlie Wi, Justin Rose, Ben Curtis, David Toms and Henrik Stenson will have to negotiate 36 holes today to become the 90th US PGA champion after play was abandoned at Oakland Hills yesterday. The championship officials suspended the play for the day, more than four hours after the first of many thunderstorms in the Detroit area brought a halt to proceedings with only 25 of the 73-man field having completed their third rounds.
Holmes and the rest of the leading three pairings - Wi, Rose, Curtis, Toms and Stenson - had not even started their rounds when play was finally called off. Graeme McDowell, Andres Romero and Camilo Villegas had all made charges towards the top of the leaderboard at Oakland Hills before the rain brought a halt to the action. Argentina's Romero started the third round at seven under par - eight shots back on overnight, midway leader Holmes - while both Colombia's Villegas and Northern Irishman McDowell teed off at six over.
After a difficult opening two days' play on the tough and unforgiving par-70 course, all three got on track at Oakland Hills - before the threat of rain called a halt. Romero rattled in seven birdies and just two bogeys on his way to a course-record-equalling five-under 65 to move to two over for the tournament. Villegas was four under for his round, one over for the tournament after 14 holes. McDowell, a two-time European Tour winner this year, had begun with birdies at the par-five second and the par-four sixth - which tournament officials shortened from 387 yards following the second round, measuring 285 yards to the front of the green and 318 yards to the hole.
Rose was just one shot off the lead in the final major of the year following a second-round, three-under-par 67 that moved him to even par for the tournament. * PA Sport
