HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — As a rookie playing in the third round of the LPGA Championship, Anna Nordqvist probably figured the only problem she might encounter was a little bit of nervousness.
That wasn’t an issue Saturday. Neither was a lengthy rain delay or fading daylight. Nothing, it seems, is too much for this cool Swede to handle.
Nordqvist took a one-shot lead over Lindsey Wright by making a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 15 after the horn halted play because of darkness. The players were allowed to finish the hole, and the 22-year-old Nordqvist took advantage by moving to 10 under.
“Obviously finishing with the birdie brings me some good momentum for (today),” Nordqvist said.
Wright — one of eight players who failed to finish — also played 15 holes.
“Obviously there’s a disadvantage not finishing today. I mean, I would love to be sleeping in,” she said. “But it’s going to be a big day, regardless.”
Na Yeon Choi was about to hit her tee shot on 18 when play was suspended. She threw her ball away in disgust and stormed off the course at 8 under (3 under for the round).
Gay leads PGA event.
Brian Gay is 18 holes away from finishing a wire-to-wire victory in the St. Jude Classic that would earn him a place in the U.S. Open.
He shot a second straight 4-under 66 in Memphis, Tenn., to keep the lead by a stroke over Bryce Molder after the third round at TPC Southwind.
Gay can earn an Open berth with a second win this year. He has just five bogeys this week, and his only bogey Saturday came on 18 after his second shot from a fairway bunker found the water.
John Daly’s comeback to the PGA Tour stretched into the weekend as he made the cut in the storm-delayed event on the line at even par. He shot a 68 that had him 1 over.
