Likely Monday finish to Greenbrier Classic

Likely Monday finish to Greenbrier Classic










July 7, 2013 5:35 PM


(Reuters) - The Greenbrier Classic was heading for a likely Monday finish after the final round was interrupted by a weather delay of just over three hours on Sunday at White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia.

Play was suspended due to the threat of lightning at 1:50 p.m. ET (1750 GMT), 10 minutes before overnight leaderJohnson Wagner was scheduled to tee off at The Greenbrier's Old White Course in pursuit of his fourth victory on the PGA Tour.

Though the final round eventually resumed at 5:00 p.m. ET, there was very little chance the lead groups would be able to finish the tournament on Sunday with sunset expected at 8:45 p.m. ET.

"With this cloud cover, I think we can play until about 8.30 p.m.," Slugger White, the PGA Tour's vice president of rules and competition, told CBS Sports.

On Saturday, the lead groups completed the third round in three hours 45 minutes. Final rounds generally take longer with players having to cope with the mounting pressure of a title on the line.


American Wagner, who fired a sparkling six-under-par 64 on Saturday to seize a two-shot lead after the third round, was prepared for all eventualities.

"Rain, sun, shine - it doesn't really matter," Wagner, 33, told CBS Sports. "I'm ready to play if it's tomorrow or Tuesday. I am just happy to be in this position."

Wagner, who won his most recent PGA Tour title at last year's Sony Open in Hawaii, will start the final round with a 14-under total of 196.

Fellow American Jimmy Walker, seeking his first victory on the U.S. circuit, was alone in second with Swede Jonas Blixt a further two strokes back at 10 under.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Gene Cherry)

Golf-U.S. PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic scores

Golf-U.S. PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic scores










July 7, 2013 9:18 PM


July 8 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the U.S. PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic at the par-70 course on Sunday in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

267 Jonas Blixt (Sweden) 66 67 67 67

269 Steven Bowditch (Australia) 65 67 69 68

Matt Jones (Australia) 69 66 66 68

Johnson Wagner (U.S.) 62 70 64 73

Jimmy Walker (U.S.) 69 65 64 71

271 Ted Potter Jr. (U.S.) 69 66 69 67

Brian Stuard (U.S.) 71 66 67 67

Pat Perez (U.S.) 71 65 66 69

272 Daniel Summerhays (U.S.) 65 67 73 67

Davis Love III (U.S.) 67 70 68 67

David Lingmerth (Sweden) 71 66 67 68

Tim Petrovic (U.S.) 69 68 67 68

Tag Ridings (U.S.) 65 69 68 70

Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 70 65 67 70

Lee Dong-Hwan (South Korea) 66 68 68 70

Bill Haas (U.S.) 68 67 67 70

273 Brendon De Jonge (Zimbabwe) 66 68 73 66

George McNeill (U.S.) 66 71 68 68

Ben Curtis (U.S.) 67 66 71 69

Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 67 68 69 69

Bryce Molder (U.S.) 71 67 66 69

Bill Lunde (U.S.) 66 66 71 70


274 K.J. Choi (South Korea) 71 67 68 68

Cameron Tringale (U.S.) 73 66 67 68

Greg Owen (Britain) 67 66 72 69

Scott Stallings (U.S.) 70 67 67 70

Nick Watney (U.S.) 72 67 65 70

Morgan Hoffmann (U.S.) 69 67 67 71

Jordan Spieth (U.S.) 67 67 67 73

275 Jim Herman (U.S.) 72 67 71 65

John Senden (Australia) 70 68 69 68

Bubba Watson (U.S.) 68 69 69 69

Billy Horschel (U.S.) 69 70 67 69

Brian Davis (Britain) 67 68 70 70

Graham DeLaet (Canada) 69 70 66 70

Russell Henley (U.S.) 67 65 72 71

Cameron Percy (Australia) 71 68 65 71

276 Tom Watson (U.S.) 68 69 72 67

Michael Kim (U.S.) 70 69 67 70

Matt Every (U.S.) 69 62 74 71

277 Robert Streb (U.S.) 69 70 70 68

Brendan Steele (U.S.) 66 70 72 69

Kenny Perry (U.S.) 68 67 73 69

Richard Lee (U.S.) 68 70 70 69

Andres Romero (Argentina) 68 71 69 69


Webb Simpson (U.S.) 64 73 70 70

Chad Campbell (U.S.) 69 66 72 70

James Hahn (U.S.) 72 67 68 70

Kevin Chappell (U.S.) 67 68 71 71

Jason Kokrak (U.S.) 66 71 68 72

Brad Fritsch (Canada) 68 71 66 72

Troy Matteson (U.S.) 69 70 66 72

Tommy Gainey (U.S.) 62 71 69 75

278 Martin Flores (U.S.) 71 65 74 68

D.A. Points (U.S.) 70 65 73 70

Andres Gonzales (U.S.) 71 68 70 69

James Driscoll (U.S.) 66 68 71 73

Charlie Wi (South Korea) 73 65 67 73

279 Shawn Stefani (U.S.) 70 69 70 70

Jeff Overton (U.S.) 68 68 72 71

Luke List (U.S.) 71 67 69 72

280 Ryan Palmer (U.S.) 68 71 70 71

Chez Reavie (U.S.) 70 69 68 73

Gary Woodland (U.S.) 69 70 64 77

281 Tom Gillis (U.S.) 67 71 71 72

Brian Harman (U.S.) 68 70 70 73

Park Jin (South Korea) 64 73 71 73

282 Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 69 70 70 73

283 William McGirt (U.S.) 69 70 71 73

287 Justin Leonard (U.S.) 68 70 67 82

Golf-Swede Blixt wins Greenbrier title by two shots

Golf-Swede Blixt wins Greenbrier title by two shots










July 7, 2013 9:28 PM


* Blixt closes with a 67 to overhaul Wagner

* American Wagner falls back into a tie for second (Adds quotes, detail)

July 7 (Reuters) - Swede Jonas Blixt took advantage of a last-day collapse by overnight leader Johnson Wagner to win his second PGA Tour title by two shots at the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia on Sunday.

Four strokes off the pace heading into a weather-interrupted final round that ended in fading light, Blixt fired a three-under-par 67 in rain-softened conditions on The Greenbrier's Old White Course.

The 29-year-old Swede held his nerve over a pressure-packed closing stretch, mixing four birdies with two bogeys over the last 10 holes to post a 13-under total of 267.

American Wagner, two ahead overnight in his bid for a fourth PGA Tour victory, dropped three shots after the turn as he struggled for accuracy off the tee on the way to a 73 and a four-way tie for second place.

Also finishing at 11-under were Wagner's compatriot and playing partner Jimmy Walker (71), andAustralians Steven Bowditch (68) and Matt Jones (68).

Blixt, who had missed eight cuts in 16 starts on the 2013 PGA Tour before this week with a best finish of joint 11th at the Crowne Plaza Invitational in May, choked back the tears as he reflected on his come-from-behind win.

"This year has been kind of a bad year for me so to pull it off, I can't believe it," the emotional Swede, who earned an automatic place at next year's Masters with his triumph, told Golf Channel.

"I am really happy. Just to be able to play Augusta (National) ... so many dreams come true.

"It's just one week and the whole year kind of turns around," added Blixt, who clinched his maiden PGA Tour title by one shot at last year's Frys.com Open.

The final round was interrupted by a weather delay of just over three hours as thunder rumbled and lightning cracked overhead and a Monday finish appeared to be on the cards when the action finally resumed in the late afternoon.


LEADEN SKIES

Wagner eventually teed off in the last pairing shortly after 5:00 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) under leaden skies and light drizzle and he three-putted for bogey at the par-four second for his overnight lead to be cut to one at 13 under.

However, Walker followed suit when he three-putted from well below the hole at the par-three third to hand Wagner a two-stroke advantage.

Though Walker rebounded with a birdie at the par-four fifth, where he struck a superb approach to six feet, Wagner responded with a curling 15-footer to birdie the sixth and regain his two-shot lead at 14-under.

Blixt briefly trimmed Wagner's advantage to one with birdies at the fifth, ninth and 10th but the Swede slid back with a bogey at the par-four 11th after missing the green to the right with his approach.

Wagner then bogeyed the 11th after hitting a poor chip from greenside rough and was caught in a two-way tie at the top at 13-under when Blixt knocked in a five-footer to birdie the par-five 12th.

The Swede also succumbed to the pressure over the closing stretch when he bogeyed the par-four 13th after finding the left rough off the tee.

Moments later, Wagner faltered at the same hole, a three-putt there dropping him back into a tie for the lead with Blixt at 12-under.

Blixt seized the outright lead for the first time by sinking a nine-foot birdie putt at the 16th and soon after found himself two strokes in front when Wagner bogeyed the short 15th after missing green to left off the tee.

As twilight fast approached, Blixt narrowly missed a seven-foot birdie putt at the 17th, then safely two-putted from long range at the par-three 18th to remain at 13-under, two ahead of the chasing pack.

Striving for late birdies, Wagner and Walker each parred the last three holes to ensure that Blixt would celebrate a second victory on the PGA Tour.

"I am so happy I pulled it off," said the Swede. "It was a little bit 'iffy' today but I pulled out some really good shots and had some short birdie putts that I could make. It's awesome." (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Gene Cherry/Ian Ransom)