With heavy rain having forced the suspension of play in the third round Saturday, the last five pairings will be looking at playing 36 holes Sunday to complete the tournament on time. That means Robert Streb and Jimmy Walker will have a 3:25 p.m. tee time, whether they’re still leading or not.
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It’s supposed to be bad – more of the same stuff that forced a suspension at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday and ended the golf for the entire day.
Baltusrol had already been soaked by three inches of rain this week, creating soft conditions that had five-time major victor Phil Mickelson, the 2005 PGA victor at Baltusrol, predicting a major-record 62 or better for the weekend.
A total of 37 players had completed their rounds before the klaxon sounded to bring play to a premature halt.
Day was also just two shots off the lead at the half-way point in 2015 at Whistling Straits where he famously surged ahead on the weekend to a record 20-under par and maiden major win.
However, the forecast ranged from a 50 per cent to 90 per cent chance of thunderstorms in the 12-hour period between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., raising the distinct possibility of a Monday finish.
After Robert Streb’s 63 on Friday tied the major record – one Mickelson tied in the first round at Royal Troon – Mickelson believed somebody would break the record at a wet Baltusrol before a champion is crowned. “I think it will be (broken) in the next two days”, Mickelson said Saturday at Baltusrol Golf Club. Kevin Kisner and Padraig Harrington, a three-time major champion including the 2008 PGA, posted the lowest rounds of the day at 65 to move to 5 under and 4 under par, respectively.
In the longest final day at the PGA Championship in 64 years, Walker produced three big birdies on the back nine at Baltusrol and held his nerve against the No. 1 player in the world to close with a 3-under 67 for a one-shot victory over defending champion Jason Day. “So just a lot of birdie holes”.
“The forecast is similar to what it has been the previous two days, with a chance of rain in the afternoon, summer showers”. He shot a 68 in the third round and was at 1-under 209.
“I’m guessing we’re going to be here until at least Monday”, Streb said.
“I just need to be patient and really try to let it come and see what we can get out of it”.
A bit of history could be made in the final round or two because the course has been made softer and somewhat easier.
“I think if you had given anyone else in this field my tee shots this week, they would have been up near the top of the leaderboard”, McIlroy said. The 32-year-old Kisner made seven birdies after back-to-back bogeys on Nos. He shot 63 in the first round of the British Open earlier this month and when he’s on his game, nearly anything is possible. Everything is underwater, regardless of whether the lightning stopped..
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Daniel Summerhays was third at 10 under after a 66 while there was a three-way tie for fourth at 9 under. You can make a lot of putts.
