Rose leads by 2 at weather-delayed Pebble, Ancer wins Saudi

Sun, Feb 5, 2023
Other News (AP)

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Justin Rose was a steady presence on a day of weather that changed by the minute, playing 19 holes in 9-under par and leaving the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the dark Sunday with a two-shot lead.

The final round of the wind-delayed tournament was to be completed Monday morning, and the 42-year-old Rose was in position to win for the first time in four years.

He was at 15-under par through nine holes - his shot safely in the 10th fairway - when the final round was stopped as the sun dipped behind the Pacific horizon.

Denny McCarthy, who started the final round six shots behind, shot 29 on the front nine at Pebble Beach to soar into contention. He chose to continue the 16th hole, hitting his approach to 15 feet and then choosing to mark his ball and stop for the night.

He was at 13-under par, along with Brendon Todd (through 12 holes) and Peter Malnati, who was in the final group with Rose.

Taylor Pendrith of Canada was among 20 players who finished. He went out in 31 and played bogey-free for a 64 to post at 12-under 275. That was three shots behind Rose, but worth sticking around to see how it unfolded.

The only winner Sunday was Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who with Ben Silverman of Canada won the pro-am. Because of the wind and other weather delays, the pro-am was cut to 54 holes, leaving only professionals for the final round.

ASIAN TOUR

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Abraham Ancer of Mexico closed with a 2-under 68 for a two-shot victory Sunday over Cameron Young in the Saudi International.

Ancer capped off a wire-to-wire victory, which featured a majority of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league. It was his third worldwide victory.

Young, the PGA Tour rookie of the year, received a release to compete in the Asian Tour event. It was his sixth runner-up finish in the last 16 months. He caught Ancer briefly on the front nine until a two-shot swing on eighth home - Ancer made birdie, Young made a bogey - that restored Ancer's two-shot lead.

Lucas Herbert of Australia had a 65 and finished third.

EUROPEAN TOUR

RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Daniel Gavins won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on Sunday after a wild finish that saw the Englishman twice find the water on the last hole before rolling in the winning putt from 26 feet for double bogey.

Gavins shot 3-under 69, then had to wait to see if Zander Lombard - the third-round leader playing in the final group - could eagle the par-5 18th to force a playoff. Lombard's eagle putt missed right. Gavins captured his second European tour title.

Lombard (72) and Alexander Bjork (68) tied for second. Bjork - playing in the group ahead of Gavins - made a costly bogey on the last hole.

Gavins sliced his tee shot into the water. Then, after finding the middle of the fairway with his third shot, Gavins hit a fairway wood that veered right, bounced off the rocks and plopped into the water again.

Unaware of Bjork's bogey and thinking his lead was two, Gavins thought his putt for double bogey was to force a playoff. It turned out to be the winner.

KORN FERRY TOUR

PANAMA CITY (AP) - Pierceson Coody closed with a 4-under 66 and then made birdie on the first extra hole to win a three-man playoff Sunday at the Panama Championship.

Coody, the grandson of Masters champion Charles Coody, won for the second time in two years on the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing at Texas.

Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, and Mac Meissner made par in the playoff. Saunders had a 67 and Meissner a 68 to join Coody in the playoff at 3-under 277.

OTHER TOURS

Benjamin Follett-Smith closed with a 2-under 70 and won the Bain's Whisky Cape Town Challenge by one shot over Jaco van Zyl and Ugo Coussaud. It was his first Challenge Tour win in an event co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour. ... Aditi Ashok of India closed with a 74 and still won the Magical Kenya Ladies Open by nine shots on the Ladies European Tour.

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