The Daily Wrap-up, Round 3: Valero Texas Open
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Defending champion Zach Johnson matched the LaCantera course record with a 10-under 60 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the suspended third round of the rain-soaked Valero Texas Open.
Johnson holed out from 84 yards for an eagle on the par-4 seventh and had eight birdies on the soggy course in the round interrupted by a five-hour rain delay. He tapped in for par on No. 18 just seconds after the horn blew and darkness suspended play.
Paul Goydos and three-time champion Justin Leonard were 12 under through 12 holes. They'll resume the round Sunday morning.
"I hit a lot of quality shots. I think I had to get up and down twice for par," Johnson said. "I don't think I missed a green on the backside."
Johnson wore his sunglasses down to the end as dusk turned to dark, having to peer over them on the tee box at No. 18 before pushing them right back on his face. He needed just 11 holes to erase a seven-stroke deficit after waiting until nearly 4:25 p.m. to start his round.
An afternoon storm dumped more than 2 inches of rain, causing the longest delay on the PGA TOUR this year. Fourteen players will finish the round Sunday before starting the final 18, when they'll re-pair.
Marc Leishman and were Scott Sterling were 11 under before play suspended. Leishman had one hole left and Sterling will resume at 15.
Kent Jones and Fredrik Jacobson were 10 under through 14.
With the wind at his back, Johnson used an 8-iron on the par-3 17th tee to set up his final birdie. He made a little fist pump after sinking the easy 7-footer, knowing he had a chance at a becoming just the fourth player to match a PGA TOUR-record 59.
His second shot from the fairway got him to about 17 feet. The small gallery, thinned out the by lengthy delay and encroaching twilight, groaned when he came up two feet short.
"I did not want to leave that putt short," Johnson said. "But, whatever, it was nearly pitch black."
In October, Johnson won the Valero Texas Open's final fall go-around before the tournament was moved to the spring. The 2007 Masters winner picked up a win in January at the Sony Open in Hawaii, and the 33-year-old now has in his sights what would be a sixth TOUR victory.
Sixth in the FedExCup standings, Johnson could vault to first with a win.
He'll have to hold off Goydos and Leonard, who is going for a record fourth Valero Texas Open title and was the tournament's last back-to-back winner, in 2000 and 2001.
• To read the remainder of this story, click here.
| Top 5 other notables at the Valero Texas Open | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| Saturday's Best |
|
The 527-yard par-5 14th hole was easiest with a Saturday scoring average of 4.208.
The 380-yard par-4 15th hole was toughest with a Saturday scoring average of 4.324.
|
After his poor bunker shot landed in the rough and short of the green, Tim Herron wound up chipping in for an unlikely par on No. 18. 
Zach Johnson flirted with a 59 when he made eight birdies and an eagle. Coincidentally, he's shot the last two 60s on TOUR. INSIDE THE ROPES WITH THE PGA TOUR NETWORK
PGA TOUR Network correspondent Brett Wright offers these observations from Saturday's action. Listen to PGA TOUR Live coverage on XM 146/SIRIUS 209 or right here at PGATOUR.COM.
Shaun Micheel finished his third round just as the clouds started floating in over the LaCantera Golf Course's Resort Course. He shot a 7-under 63 in benign conditions, and his caddie said he never came close to making a bogey all day. Micheel said it could have been even better -- he missed a close birdie at No. 1 and also missed from inside 15 feet on the final hole. When Micheel came out of the scoring area, I asked him about the changing conditions on the horizon. He looked up at the clouds and, with a sly grin, said that he was hoping it would get windy in the afternoon, as it had for him in the first two rounds. When this course gets some moisture and calm conditions, it can render some very low scores.
Earlier this season at the Shell Houston Open, wind was the culprit for delayed play in the afternoon on Thursday. It put pairings behind and the PGA TOUR had to be creative in catching up the play and re-pairing the players by Sunday. On Saturday at the Valero Texas Open, the players went back on the golf course late in the afternoon to get in as much golf as possible. After a long delay on Saturday, each minute is valuable for a normal Sunday finish.
Dustin Johnson was in the fairway at No. 15 when play was suspended. Several hours later, he finished with birdies at Nos. 16 and 18 for an 8-under 62 that placed him at 9 under for the tournament. Watch for players that carry the ball a long way, like Johnson, to thrive in the end of the third round and in the final round. This week the ball has been rolling out on the firm and fast fairways. Johnson and others will now be able to control thier drives better with minimal roll out on the moist fairways. They also will have an advantage over shorter hitters by having less club into the now soft greens. We should see some real pin-seeking on Sunday.
THIRD-ROUND NOTEBOOK: VALERO TEXAS OPEN
By Mark Stevens, PGA TOUR Staff
SAN ANTONIO -- Play was suspended at 11:22 a.m. due to a dangerous weather situation. Play resumed at 4:15 p.m. for a total delay of 4 hours, 53 minutes. Rainfall totaled 2.1 inches. The third-round was suspended at 8:17 p.m. due to darkness with 14 players still on the course. The 14 remaining players will restart on Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m.
• This is the sixth event on the PGA TOUR that has been suspended/delayed so far this season. Last year, 20 events were suspended or delayed.
• Zach Johnson came 2 feet, 10 inches from matching the TOUR's 18-hole scoring record of 59. Johnson shot a blistering 10-under 60 with eight birdies and an eagle in the third round to get to 15-under for the tournament. The 60 ties Johnson's career-best round set in the third round at the 2007 TOUR Championship.
• Johnson, who won here only seven months ago when the event was part of the Fall Series, used a 62 in the third round last year to move into second place entering the final round.
• Dustin Johnson turned in an 8-under 62, which is his career-best round in his amateur and professional career. His previous best on TOUR was a 63 at the 2008 Bob Hope Classic (T12). Johnson is making his third appearance in the Valero Texas Open (T15-2008 and MC-2007).
• History is not on Dustin Johnson's side, as the last time a player won the Valero Texas Open with a single round over 74 was Arnold Palmer in 1960 (final-round 75). Johnson opened with a 74-65 before his 62 in the third-round.
• To read the remainder of this story, click here.
| This week's Kodak Challenge hole | |
|
| This week at the Kodak Challenge hole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Round-by-round statistics on the par-4 16th at LaCantera | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| Live Essentials | ||||
|
Shop your favorite brand name golf equipment and accessories at SHOP.PGATOUR.COM
FAN ZONE
PGATOUR.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network