Sunday Scoring Binge at Deutsche Bank Championship


Thanks to a rain-softened TPC Boston course that allowed the world's best golfers to play lift, clean and place, the scores plummeted in the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. The $8 million tournament in Norton, Mass., is the second leg of the four-event FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Scattered thunderstorms that brought rain halted play Sunday at 8:46 a.m. Though some players had finished a few holes, the round was wiped out and started over when play resumed at 12:15 p.m. ET, with the lift-clean-and-place rule in effect.

Because of more threats of dangerous weather in Monday's final round, officials decided to send out threesomes off the first and 10th tees starting at around 8:00 a.m.

When the dust settled in the third round, Sergio Garcia was still standing atop the leaderboard. The 33-year-old Spaniard, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, has recorded rounds of 65, 64 and 65 to reach 19-under 194, two strokes ahead of Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who shot a 66.

Canada's Graham DeLaet fired Sunday's round, a 9-under 62, that took him to 16-under 197 and into a tie for third with Steve Stricker, who carded a 63.

Tied for fifth at 15-under 198 are reigning PGA champion Jason Dufner (66) and Roberto Castro (68). Another stroke back in seventh is 18-hole leader Kevin Stadler, who matched his opening score of 64.

England's Ian Poulter had a 66 for solo eighth at 200, while sharing ninth at 201 are Australia's Marc Leishman (64), Jim Furyk (63), Hunter Mahan (66), England's Brian Davis (66), Charley Hoffman (66), Nicholas Thompson (67), Scott Piercy (67), Australia's Jason Day (67), Keegan Bradley (67) and Matt Kuchar (69).

Defending champion Rory McIlroy fired his low round of the year, a 64, to rise into a tie for 29th at 205.

One of the few players who didn't go low Sunday was British Open champion Phil Mickelson, who posted his second straight even-par 71.

No. 1-ranked Tiger Woods also had an off-day with a 1-over 72. The FedEx Cup points leader dropped to T-47 at 6-under 207.

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