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29 March 2024

McDowell grabs share of lead at storm-hit Players

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland reacts on the fifth tee during the third round of The Players Championship held at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (AFP)

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By AFP

Reigning US Open champion Graeme McDowell birdied three of the first five holes Saturday to grab a share of the lead before darkness halted the third round of the Players Championship.

McDowell matched American Nick Watney atop the leaderboard on 11-under par at the $9.5 million US PGA event with each having finished five holes of their third round on a day when afternoon storms halted play for 4 1/2 hours.

Northern Ireland’s McDowell sank a 13-foot birdie putt on the first hole, chipped in for a birdie at the third and dropped a five-foot birdie putt at five to stand three-under for the round with 13 holes to finish Sunday morning.

“That birdie on three was pretty nice,” McDowell said. “I was just right of the green. It was just one of those pitches. It was a nice start this evening. It’s a pity the light beat us. I’d have liked to have played a few more holes.”

McDowell expects the superior scoring conditions left after the storms passed to continue on the final day.

“This rain has softened the golf course up. You will see a big improvement tomorrow,” McDowell said. “(I’m going to) just rest up and try to stay out of the bar, get an early night’s sleep and get out in the morning.”

Watney opened with back-to-back birdies to join McDowell one stroke ahead of Americans David Toms and Steve Stricker, who each had 13 holes to finish, with South Korean K.J. Choi and American Lucas Glover each on nine-under.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer, fighting to reclaim his World No. 1 status from idle Lee Westwood of England with a victory, endured a roller-coaster 12 holes before darkness struck.

Kaymer opened with four consecutive birdies, dropping two iron approaches and a par-3 tee shot within easy rach of the pin twice and putting another iron within easy reach of a two-putt birdie from 25 feet at the par-5 second hole.

But after another birdie at the seventh to pull within a stroke of the leaders as they teed off, Kaymer took three bogeys in a row to fall back before righting himself with a birdie at the 11th.

Others on eight-under were England’s Luke Donald, American Jason Dufner, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and South African Rory Sabbatini.

Donald suffered his first bogey on the week at the par-4 fifth.

American Sean O’Hair held the clubhouse lead at seven-under 209 but only 40 of the 74 players to reach the weekend were able to finish before dusk.

Among them was US veteran Phil Mickelson, who eagled the 16th and nearly aced the TPC at
Sawgrass’ famous par-3 island green at 17 before settling for a birdie.

He took a bogey at 18 in near darkness after going over the green on his approach but avoided an early wake-up call with a three-under 69 to stand on 211.

England’s Ian Poulter raced to the 18th tee as darkness approached, having the group in front of him walk to the side as he blasted a tee shot just over a water hazard to ensure he would be able to avoid an early Sunday wake-up call.

Poulter took a bogey at 18 but finished off a round of 74 to stand on level par 216 through 54 holes.