US Masters Golf Update 1050 Sunday
By Mark Garrod
April 9 2006
US MASTERS GOLF UPDATE
By Bettingzone.co.uk
HOWELL DROPS OFF THE PACE
David Howell had to wait until after 6pm to hit a shot in the third round of the Masters at Augusta on Saturday - and was soon left wishing he could start all over again.
In joint fifth place overnight, the Swindon golfer's challenge for a first major title was delayed for over four hours by thunderstorms.
But when he finally got into action again Howell crashed to a triple bogey seven on the 455-yard first.
Howell had driven right. His second then hit a tree and came down in the fairway bunker, from where he pulled his next left into a greenside trap. And after splashing out he three-putted.
Before play was called off for the day at just before 7.45pm Howell dropped another shot at the third and he will resume on Sunday two over par - eight behind leader Chad Campbell.
The Texan, three clear at halfway, had time only for four holes and after grabbing birdies at the first two of them to go four clear he bogeyed the next two and saw his advantage trimmed to one by fellow American Rocco Mediate and South African Tim Clark.
Phil Mickelson came out even faster than Campbell. He holed from 10 feet at the first, chipped to three feet on the next and then made a 10-footer on the third.
But the day finished disappointingly for the 2004 champion. He missed from four feet to bogey the short fourth and followed that by visiting the trees at the fifth, his final hole, and dropped another shot to be three back.
On the same three under mark are defending champion Tiger Woods and Dubliner Padraig Harrington.
Woods birdied the third and eighth in an outward 34 - and as last year he will have 27 holes to play with a day to go.
Harrington, meanwhile, was on in two at the 575-yard second and two-putted, then pitched to six feet on the third.
Darren Clarke, paired with Mickelson, bogeyed the first and remained one under after five holes.
The rain delay of over four hours meant there was no escape from another marathon Sunday for golf's biggest stars.
Play was originally halted just after 1pm - some 90 minutes before Campbell was due to tee off for his third round.
It was the eighth time in nine years the first major of the season has been hit by bad weather and when the resumption finally came at 5.20pm it was inevitable the leaders would manage just a few holes.
Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia were among those who almost certainly fell out of contention. Donald double-bogeyed the 11th and ran up another six on the long 15th in a 76 to be six over, while Garcia triple-bogeyed the 11th and when the stoppage came stood eight over with two remaining.
Latest third round scores (USA unless stated, par 72):
216 Jim Furyk 73 75 68
217 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 73 74 70, Mark Hensby (Aus) 80 67 70
218 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 76 71 71, Tim Herron 76 71 71
220 Robert Allenby (Aus) 73 73 74
222 Ted Purdy 72 76 74, Luke Donald (Gbr) 74 72 76
224 Thomas Bjorn (Den) 73 75 76, Larry Mize 75 72 77
225 Brandt Jobe 72 76 77
Round Three
Score Player Holes
-6 C Campbell 4
-5 T Clark 5
-5 R Mediate 4
-3 T Woods 9
-3 P Harrington 6
-3 P Mickelson 5
-2 S Ames 9
-2 R Goosen 9
-2 E Els 5
Selected Others
-2 V Singh 4
-2 F Couples 4
-1 D Clarke 4
Level J Furyk 18
+2 JM Olazabal 18
US MASTERS GOLD INDEX TO THE LEFT. REGULAR UPDATES THROUGHOUT SUNDAY