PHOENIX – The rain-plagued Phoenix Open finished its second round on Feb 10 but could not get through the third as play was halted due to darkness, with resumption scheduled for Feb 11 morning at 7.30am (10.30pm Singapore time).
Canadian Nick Taylor led the field at 13-under 130 through six holes of his third round. He went one under for his abbreviated start. His birdie at the par-four fifth hole gave him the lead and a boost on a long day.
“Yeah, it felt like we waited every shot so it was pretty long, but it was nice to make a long putt there and make birdie when I feel like I kind of let one go on three. But it was a good start,” said Taylor, who opened the tournament by tying the course record at TPC Scottsdale with an 11-under 60.
Sahith Theegala, who held a one-shot lead when the second round was completed earlier in the day, played the first six holes of the third round at one over. He made his tee shot at No. 7 and trailed Taylor by one stroke when play was paused.
The 26-year-old American acknowledged the difficulties the early holes posed. He said: I’m glad they’re over with. It was pretty smooth sailing the first two rounds. Golf is hard and there’s going to be tough patches, and I think I hit one of them just to start the round.”
Doug Ghim, who completed seven holes of the third round, started with birdies at No. 1 and No. 3 and moved into a tie for third with fellow American Andrew Novak. They are two shots back of the lead.
Novak, who was tied for second with Taylor upon completion of the second round, had an up-and-down start to his third. He posted bogeys on Nos. 2 and 5 and a birdie at No. 4 to go one over through six holes.
Alone in fifth when play stopped on Feb 10 was Jordan Spieth, who made it through the front nine with three birdies, including two at Nos. 8 and 9, with one bogey. The three-time Major champion was at 10-under 134 for the tournament.
Four Americans were knotted in a tie for sixth at nine under. Among them, Harris English was five under for the day and completed 15 holes. He started the third round on the back nine. Davis Thompson (three under for the round) was through 10 holes, and Charley Hoffman (two under) and Cameron Young (one under) were each through nine holes.
Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson fired a one-under 69 on Feb 10 to win LIV Golf Las Vegas.
Johnson finished at 12-under 198 for the tournament, edging out Talor Gooch and Peter Uihlein, who both finished at 11-under 199 to tie for second. Gooch shot a third-round 67, while Uihlein posted a 68.
It marked Johnson’s third victory on the LIV circuit. He last prevailed at LIV Golf Tulsa in May 2023.
He said: “A lot of really good players right around the lead. Playing with Bryson (DeChambeau) and Jon (Rahm), it was going to be a tough day. It was going to be a fight all day, especially with the conditions.” REUTERS
