Lingmerth Leads Weather-Delayed Players Championship


After a nearly two-hour delay caused by thunderstorms and lightning midway through the third round, David Lingmerth found his name atop the leaderboard in the Players Championship. The $9.5 million PGA Tour event is taking place at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Lingmerth, a 25-year-old who attended college at the University of West Florida and then Arkansas, carded five birdies, an eagle on the par-5 16th, and three bogeys for a 4-under total through 17 holes. The native of Sweden will play the par-4 18th Sunday morning due to a postponement caused by darkness.

He stands at 12-under par, two strokes ahead of fellow Swede Henrik Stenson - who was 1-under through 16 holes, 36-hole leader Sergio Garcia (1-over through 14), and Tiger Woods (even-par through 14).

Sitting at 9-under 207 is 49-year-old Jeff Maggert, who completed the low round of the day, a 6-under 66, Casey Wittenberg (1-under through 17), and Ryan Palmer (1-under through 16).

Instead of heading to the clubhouse before tackling the famed island green at the par-3 17th, Lingmerth opted to continue. And the plan worked, as he birdied the hole. "I was really rolling good here through the back nine and decided to go on," he said at greenside.

Lingmerth, whose closest moment to victory came earlier this year in the Humana Challenge when he lost in a sudden-playoff, added, "It's going pretty good. I feel good about things."

Woods, who carded a birdie, bogey and 12 pars Saturday, told a TV reporter he was ready to leave the course after completing 14 holes in what turned out to be a long day. "No, I didn't want to continue. I'm tired and hungry."

The third round was suspended at just after 4:00 p.m. and the players returned at 6:00. Woods noted a difference in the Pete Dye-designed course following the suspension. "The greens were slippery early on, but they slowed up after the rain."

Tied for eighth at 8-uder 208 are David Lynn (68) and Hunter Mahan (71), while another stroke back are a couple of Australians, Greg Chalmers (68) and Marc Leishman (71).

Sharing 12th at 6-under 210 are Sean O'Hair (69), Jeff Overton (69), Kevin Streelman (71), Steve Stricker (72) and Jason Dufner (72). Also at 6-under is England's Lee Westwood, who was 3-over through 15 holes after carding a bogey, two double-bogeys and a pair of birdies.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.