Brandt Snedeker described best what transpired Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open.
“We were playing a British Open on a U.S. Open layout,” said the only player who handled the near-impossible conditions during the three delays in play.
Snedeker is sitting as the leader in the clubhouse after PGA Tour officials called it a day just before 5 p.m., Eastern time.
Snedeker had put together what some of his fellow players were calling one of the best rounds ever on the PGA Tour in difficult conditions.
Consider that the winds were gusting up to 50 miles per hour, there was rain and steady winds of 20-30 miles per hour on a course made even more difficult by long rough that was saturated by rains that began at 4 a.m.
“Put it out of your mind and just go play golf,” his how Snedeker described the mindset that saw him shoot the only sub-par round of those who finished. His 69 vaulted him to six-under par, just a shot behind Jimmy Walker. Walker is seven-under through 10 holes but will face strong winds and chilly temperatures when play resumes Monday morning at 8 a.m., west coast time.
Snedeker won’t be going anywhere given the predicted conditions. He could win without hitting a shot.
K.J. Choi, one of the overnight leaders, was three-over through 10 holes and six-under. The other 54-hole co-leader, Scott Brown, was six-over through 10 and sinking quickly at three-under.
Scores soared with the winds. Angel Cabrera shot 84, Martin Piller 82, Danny Lee 80, Shane Bertsch 80, Ollie Schneiderjans, 81, Charley Hoffman 80. Dustin Johnson was eight-over for his round through 14 holes.
It was simply ugly.
The spectators who did show up were bundled up like people living in Minnesota. “I wanted to go tap everyone of them on the shoulder and say “what are you doing here?” quipped CBS announcer and funnyman Gary McCord.
