Additional Coverage:
- Bad weather halts 3rd round of Memorial with J.T. Poston and Ryan Gerard still in front (apnews.com)
DUBLIN, Ohio – J.T. Poston and Ryan Gerard share the lead at the Memorial Tournament after weather interruptions halted play during Saturday’s third round. Both players stood at 9-under par through five holes when thunderstorms forced officials to suspend the round before it could progress further.
Scottie Scheffler, who had been mounting an impressive rally, saw his momentum stall following two bogeys over three holes, the last resulting from an errant iron shot into a creek. Meanwhile, Poston and others now face a challenging Sunday, needing to complete the remainder of the third round and then prepare for 36 holes of U.S. Open qualifying on Monday.
At the time of suspension, Sam Burns was close behind at 8-under through six holes. Despite having four hours of daylight remaining, the PGA Tour opted to end play early due to incoming thunderstorms. The third round is set to resume Sunday at 7 a.m., followed by a final round featuring threesomes teeing off simultaneously from both the first and tenth tees-marking a first for the week.
Only 21 players completed the third round, with Harris English carding the best score of 3-under 69 for a total of 213.
Scheffler, aiming to join Tiger Woods as one of the few to win three consecutive Memorial titles, began the day 10 shots behind the leaders and quickly bogeyed the first hole. He then surged with a birdie-birdie-eagle sequence and added another birdie to reach fourth place. However, mistakes soon crept in: a three-putt par on the par-5 11th, a bunker trouble bogey on the par-3 12th, and a costly splash and penalty on the 14th left him two under for the round and eight shots off the pace.
Rory McIlroy found himself in a similar position, trailing by eight through 16 holes.
After a week of firm, fast conditions at Muirfield Village, the course softened considerably due to rain and even hail, altering the playing field significantly.
Justin Thomas experienced the unpredictability firsthand. Playing early as a single on Friday, he hoped to take advantage of the better weather and course conditions but was caught by a delay after just 12 holes.
The rain softened the course, making it easier for the 32 players still on the course when play was halted. Thomas finished with a 72 and could only laugh at his timing.
“That’s kind of the joy of being first off because you normally get no wind and an easier course,” he said. “But I missed the window. You know, you’ve got to play better.”
For Poston, the extended day ahead offers a chance to ease some pressure. A win or even a runner-up finish would provide valuable world ranking points, securing his spot within the top 60 and guaranteeing entry into the U.S. Open.
As the tournament resumes in the early hours Sunday, anticipation builds around who will emerge from the weather-delayed field to claim victory at the Memorial.