Rain dampens final round of Cognizant Classic, Erik van Rooyen's historic day
PALM BEACH GARDENS — For the third time since the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches moved to PGA National in 2007, there will be a Monday finish.
Much to Erik van Rooyen’s chagrin.
The Jupiter resident looked poised to win his third PGA Tour title in historic fashion when he birdied the first six holes Sunday and set a tournament record with a 7-under 28 on the front nine of the Champion Course. When van Rooyen birdied the 10th hole, he had vaulted from 31st place into the lead at 14-under.
No player in the modern era of the PGA Tour had come from that far down the leaderboard to win.
But then play was stopped after a thunderstorm rolled across PGA National, resulting in a 3 ½-hour rain delay after almost 2 inches of rain fell on the Champion. Van Rooyen could never regain his magic, playing his last six holes in even par, and dropped to second place when Austin Eckroat reached 15-under through seven holes when play was stopped.
“The rain delay probably didn’t help me much,” said van Rooyen, a 34-year-old South African. “I had a lot of momentum. It’s hard to keep a run like that going, even without the rain delay. It was hard to get back into my rhythm.
“But if I want to call myself a pro golfer, I need to be able to adapt to that. I certainly don't think, if I don’t end up winning this tournament, it's because of the rain delay.”
Eckroat, looking for his first PGA Tour victory, birdied the fourth and fifth holes to move past van Rooyen at 15-under. Eckroat parred the next two holes to finish with the lead with 11 holes remaining Monday.
“At 2 o’clock, I thought we were done for the day, so I kind of shut off for a little bit and then I had to get back into competitive mode,” said Eckroat, who didn’t tee off until 5 p.m. “It was just a weird day. Mother Nature, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
When van Rooyen was asked if he thought he had done enough to win after an 8-under 63 that left him at 14-under 270, he shook his head.
“I don’t think so, but stranger things have happened,” said van Rooyen, who’s scheduled to play Monday morning in the Seminole Pro-Member in nearby Juno Beach. “It’s so soft right now. The course is playing as easy as it can. Maybe we’ll get some wind in the morning.”
Had von Rooyen gotten to 16- or 17-under, he might have had a chance. Jake Knapp, trying to win for the second consecutive week on the PGA Tour, is in third place at 13-under with three holes left.
“I know I’ve got to make some birdies,” Knapp said.
Shane Lowry slides from sharing lead to 4th place
Shane Lowry, who shared the 54-hole lead with Eckroat and David Skinns, is tied for fourth with former Cognizant Classic champion Keith Mitchell (65), Billy Horschel and Alex Noren at 12-under after playing five holes.
Starting at No. 8, Horschel birdied six consecutive holes to move within a shot of the lead before making bogey at the 15th. After Horschel hit his tee shot on the par-3 17th, he ran to the green, hoping to tee off on the 18th before play was stopped so he could finish his round.
When the horn blew while he was still on the 17th green, Horschel was visibly upset, knowing he’ll have to come back Monday to play one hole.
Rory McIlroy was able to finish his round, but missed a short birdie putt at the 18th. He was tied for 16th place after a 68.
"A week that could have been," said McIlroy, who ended his hopes for victory with a triple bogey on the 16th hole Saturday.
Van Rooyen used an accurate iron game and a hot putter to open with the six consecutive birdies. He made birdie putts of 7 feet on the first hole, 9 feet on the second, 13 feet on the third, 9 feet on the fourth, 12 feet on the fifth and 6 feet on the sixth before he two-putted from 21 feet on the seventh for a par.
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He then rolled in a 4-footer at No. 8 for a birdie, two-putted the ninth for a par and two-putted the 10th from 13 feet to birdie the par-5 hole. He was in the 12th fairway when play was stopped.
After play resumed, van Rooyen made three pars and then bogeyed the par-5 15th, which he played in 4-over for the week. He birdied the 17th to regain his lead at 14-under, but failed to birdie the par-5 18th for the second consecutive day.
“The 15th and 18th holes cost me this week,” van Rooyen said. “But I’m going to take away the positives.”
Just likely not the trophy.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Cognizant Classic will finish Monday after storms delay final round
