Play to resume after thunderstorms halt Cognizant Classic final round at PGA National
PALM BEACH GARDENS — Mother Nature was the only way to stop Erik van Rooyen from making birdies in Sunday’s final round of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.
The 34-year-old South African started with six consecutive birdies and added birdies on the eighth and 10th holes to move into the lead at 14-under when play was stopped at 12:50 p.m. after thunderstorms rolled across the Champion Course at PGA National, delaying the finish until Monday. There was a tornado warning in Palm Beach County Sunday afternoon but not in the Palm Beach Gardens area.
At 3 p.m., PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek said the practice facilities had been opened and play was expected to resume at 4:20 p.m.
“We have to get out there and assess the golf course and see what the conditions are," Dusbabek said.
Because the final round started with players not being allowed to use preferred lies (lift, clean and place), the Tour can’t change that option during the round.
More: Everything you need to know to attend or follow Cognizant Classic rain-delayed final round.
Former Cognizant Classic winner Luke Donald, who’s announcing for NBC this week, said when he went into the locker room during the delay, Lowry was joking with van Rooyen.
“Did you hear, Erik,” Lowry said, “they’ve reduced it to 54 holes.”
Van Rooyen shot a tournament-record 7-under 28 on the front nine and was eight-under for the day in the 12th fairway when the siren went off. He needs four birdies on his last seven holes to shoot 59. He started Sunday tied for 31st place.
Van Rooyen used an accurate iron game and a hot putter to open with the six consecutive birdies. The South African made birdie putts of 7 feet on the first hole, 9 feet on the second, 13 feet on the third, 9 feet on the fourth, 12 feet on the fifth and 6 feet on the sixth before he two-putted from 21 feet on the seventh for a par. He then rolled in a 4-footer at No. 8 for a birdie, two-putted the ninth for a par and two-putted the 10th from 13 feet to birdie the par-5 hole.
Van Rooyen has won two PGA Tour events, last year’s World Wide Technology Championship and the 2021 Barracuda Championship. He’s ranked 83rd in the world.
Cognizant third-round leaders 50 minutes away from starting
The three players tied for the lead at 13-under – Shane Lowry, Austin Eckroat and David Skinns – were about 50 minutes away from starting the round when play was stopped.
Van Rooyen was fortunate at the 11th hole, when his drive went right and hung up in the rough just short of a water. His approach bounced over the green and his chip came up 16 feet short. But he drilled the par putt to keep his momentum. His drive landed in the center of the 12th fairway, then play was stopped.
Van Rooyen wasn’t the only player to go low Sunday. Byeong Hun An, Chris Kirk, Beau Hossler and Ryan Fox shot a 6-under 65 and three players were 5-under in their rounds: former Cognizant champion Keith Mitchell, Samuel Ryder and Joseph Bramlett. Mitchell is fifth at 11-under while An, Ryder (14 holes) and Bramlett (13 holes) are tied for sixth at 10-under.
More: Shane Lowry back on top of leaderboard at Cognizant, looking for different result | D'Angelo
The PGA Tour said they would provide an update at 3 p.m., ruling out any chance of play being completed Sunday. The last Monday finish at the Cognizant was in 2015, when Padraig Harrington beat Daniel Berger in a playoff.
The delayed finish will impact Monday’s star-studded Pro-Member at Seminole Golf Club in nearby Juno Beach because several players in the field have yet to finish their final round in the Cognizant Championship.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Eric Van Rooyen's charges to lead before rain stops play at Cognizant Classic
