McIlroy, Singh tied at the top

bruced
August 12, 2012

Rory McIlroy and Vijay Singh held the lead of the PGA Championship before rain halted play during the third round.

Rory McIlroy and Vijay Singh held the lead of the PGA Championship on six-under-par before rain halted play midway through the third round.

Play was called off for the day in the late afternoon after thunderstorms replaced the gusting wind that the players had contended with all day.

Despite the poor conditions, scoring was for the most part quite good.

McIlroy was one of those who got his round off to a fine start, birding five of the first eight holes before a bogey at the ninth dropped him back to six under.

But it wasn’t the birdies that were the most impressive aspect of the Northern Irsihman’s day, rather a great save at the third. McIlroy hooked his ball into the trees and needed the aid of television replays to show his ball was lodged in the crevice of a branch about 7 feet off the ground. The 23-year-old removed the ball, took a penalty stroke and nonchalantly holed a six-foot par put to remain on even keel.

Singh was slightly more sedate, notching up two birdies on his first and last over to reach two-under after seven holes.

Adam Scott is one shot off the pace having produced four birdies from holes five to nine to race up the leaderboard before the weather insured he wouldn’t get a a shot at the back nine.

One man who would have hoped that the bad weather had come sooner was Tiger Woods.

The American’s poor form on major weekends continued as he was three-over after just seven holes on Saturday, dropping back to one-under.

Of those who were able to complete their third rounds, notable movers include Bo van Pelt whose 67 helped him to three-under, Steve Stricker (who also shot a 67) is one shot back of van Pelt while Padraig Harrington’s 69 pushed him up to one-under.

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