NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Two putts began taking on more significance with each rain delay until there was no golf at all Sunday at the BMW Championship.
Aronimink Golf Club already was saturated when a steady rain caused tiny streams and large puddles in the fairways, leaving the PGA Tour little choice but to wait until Monday to either play the final round or cut the third FedEx Cup playoff event to the 54 holes already completed.
“We had a golf course we couldn’t play,” said Slugger White, the tour’s vice president of competition. “We’re shoveling sand against the tide.”
Justin Rose was ahead by one shot, all because of one putt. He was tied with Xander Schauffele on the 18th hole of the third round Saturday when Schauffele’s eight-foot par putt rimmed around the high side of the cup, giving him a bogey and Rose the lead.
Rose can go to No. 1 in the World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career with a victory, making him the 22nd player to reach the top since the list began in 1986. He also would be the No. 2 seed behind Bryson DeChambeau among the top 30 who advance to the Tour Championship in two weeks at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club, giving him a clear shot at the $10 million prize.