American Peter Malnati was atop the leaderboard when high winds halted play at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Saturday, with US PGA Tour officials now expecting the tournament to end on Monday.
Only a couple of players had completed the third round when the winds forced the organizers to stop play as balls would not hold on at least one green.
A planned restart never materialized as the winds blowing in from the Pacific continued to blow.
Malnati admitted he had mixed feelings when the game was stopped.
He had six birdies through 12 holes on the par-72 Pebble Beach golf links, one of three courses used in the first three rounds along with par-72 Spyglass Hill and par-71 Monterey Peninsula.
“I was able to play eight holes before the weather got bad, so that was good,” said Malnati, who bogeyed 10 and birdied the 11th, 12th and 13th.
“Then he turned and made three birdies into the wind on one, two and three.
“Honestly, like where I was, I was on the fourth green, I was getting ready to go play five, six, seven in the teeth of that wind, so who knows.
“I wish we were still out there playing because of the competition, but for me it was probably a good break to get out of there at the time I did.
Malnati was 12 under when play was suspended, two strokes clear of Joseph Bramlett and Keith Mitchell. Bramlett went through 13 holes and Mitchell through 10.
Officials said the amateur tournament, which attracts famous golfers such as Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Wales captain Gareth Bale, would be shortened to 54 holes.
The PGA Tour pros will complete the third round on Sunday and after the cut – which was made after three rounds instead of two due to the three courses being used – the final round will begin.
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