Good news for TPC: dry forecast

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Posted 7:15AM on Monday, March 28, 2005

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - At last, there was some good news for The Players Championship: a compelling battle for the title and a dry forecast. "We haven't had that all week," said Mark Russell, the PGA Tour's tournament director who's seen more radar weather reports this week than any TV weatherman. Storms have drenched the tour's unofficial fifth major, soaking fairways and stopping play five times since Friday. The last one came three hours into Sunday's third round. It forced players back for a 7:15 a.m. resumption with the hope of finishing things by Monday night. "I think we need to play all the golf we possibly can," Russell said. "And if that means finishing (Monday), that would be great." And so could the competition for the top. Joe Durant and Luke Donald stood at 11-under, a shot ahead of Tim Herron, Zach Johnson, Lee Westwood and defending Players champion Adam Scott. "I was possibly expecting to hand over the trophy today," Scott said. "But I've put myself into position where maybe I can hang onto it a little longer." There are several who wouldn't mind taking it from him. Stewart Cink was two strokes behind at 9-under par. Steve Elkington, who owns a pair of Players trophies, was at 8-under. Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen were at 7-under, while Davis Love III was at 6-under. Even Ernie Els, at 4-under par, wasn't too far back to make a run. "At this point, everybody is just like, `Lets go,'" Durant said. "We want to get this thing done." Herron, who tied the tournament record earlier Sunday with six straight birdies, said the frustration with the weather delays is growing in the players' locker room. At almost any other tournament, considerations would be made to end things earlier - as officials did last month when Adam Scott won the Nissan Open after 36 holes and a one-hole playoff. Herron thinks The Players Championship should end Monday, one way or another. "I mean, I don't think it should go until Tuesday," Herron said. "That's my opinion, basically. But if we can get in 72 by tomorrow, then fair game." Scott was strongly in favor of going the full distance. His Nissan title won't be counted as an official win - and he understands completely. "I never played under any pressure" at the Riviera Country Club, Scott said. "I didn't come down the stretch having a chance to win. I didn't play the back nine on Sunday under that pressure where you've got to pull off shots and you've got to suck it up and play good golf." He's not belittling the Nissan Open, but the week at TPC Sawgrass is something special. "We want to find the Players champion for the year, and you do that best by playing 72 holes," Scott said. Forgotten in the muck and the sound of that awful horn stopping play, were some compelling moments of golf: - Steve Jones, the first-round leader, couldn't sustain his stellar play. He opened with consecutive double bogeys for a second-round 77 that sent him from a tie for first to seven shots behind. - Tiger Woods recovered from a double bogey on his first hole Sunday morning to extend his record cut streak to 140. He made the cut on the number for his closest call since the 2003 Masters. Woods was at 2-under, nine shots behind. - Vijay Singh, who opened with 5-under 67 Thursday, had made only two birdies on his last 29 holes and was at 2-under. Herron's play was probably the most surprising. He came back Sunday to face the toughest par 3, the 219-yard eighth, and ran off six straight birdies to join the chase after his 66. "I think I was still asleep. That probably helped," Herron said. "I finally woke up when the sixth one came, and made double bogey." Herron might be just as groggy by Monday night if he gets in as much golf as he hopes. "It's part of the territory," he said. "I've been doing it for 10 years. This isn't my first and hopefully not my last rain delay."