The Starter: Round 3, Northern Trust Open
The third round of the Northern Trust Open is set to begin. Here is how it shapes up:
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ROUND 3 COMPLETE (1;55 p.m.) -- The second round is finally in the books, and the two most significant moves on Saturday morning were made by Dustin Johnson and Ryo Ishikawa. Johnson chipped in from just off the green at the 18th hole to take a one-stroke lead over Steve Stricker and a three-stroke edge on Andres Romero, both of whom will be his playing partners in the third round. Johnson is 11 under after finishing off his 67.
Ishikawa holed a shot from 120 yards in the primary rough for an eagle at the 17th hole. The 18-year-old from Japan is among four players tied at 6 under -- joining Kevin Stadler, Tim Wilkinson and Justin Rose. -- Helen Ross
MORE RAIN ON THE WAY (12:40 p.m. ET) -- Here's the official word from the on-site meteorologists: The rain, which was relatively light as the second round resumed, will become heavier and more widespread by this afternoon. The probability of precipitation is 80 percent.
By 6 a.m. PT on Saturday, a total of 3.15 inches of rain had fallen at Riviera, and an accumulation of another half inch is expected today. The resumption of the second round was delayed twice while the hard-working ground crew squeegied, raked and pumped to prepare the course.
Several roads in the area were closed, including part of the main drag in nearby Santa Monica, where debris from the huge palm trees littered the road. A section of famed Sunset Boulevard, which leads to Riviera, was also closed earlier on Saturday. -- Helen Ross
PLAY BACK UNDER WAY (noon ET) -- It has started to rain again at the Riviera C.C. The entire area is under a flash flood warning, but second round play has finally resumed. -- Helen Ross
WEATHER UPDATE (11:39 a.m. ET) -- Play has officially been pushed back to at least noon ET.
WEATHER UPDATE (11:10 a.m. ET) -- The rain has stopped -- for now. Another band from the second storm (which could include some thunder and lightning) is expected this afternoon. TV news reports indicate more than two inches have fallen in some parts of LA. Parts of one freeway near Long Beach are flooded and mudslides in other areas are a big concern. -- Helen Ross
WEATHER UPDATE (10:45 a.m ET) The rain has not let up at Riviera, where a wet course has delayed the continuation of the second round. Play is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. ET at the earliest. Stay tuned for updates.
EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR NETWORK on-site correspondent Michael Collins previews Saturday's action:
Mostly misery. That'd be the title of the book if someone wrote it for Round 2, which isn't even over as of Saturday morning.
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But talking to Ernie Els after his round, I'm giving him the, "Best Husband" award. His wife didn't have an umbrella so he gave her his and played the round with no umbrella! His hat got so wet he would take it off before every shot, then put it back on to walk.
She went and got him an umbrella at the turn but by then he was so soaked, he never bothered with it. The "Macho Points" award goes to Dustin Johnson who played in the nastiness in short sleeves. And it paid off too, with an ace on the sixth hole.
As he walked off the seventh tee, I asked him, "How many is that in competition?" "Second one... both with the same club!" The 8-iron is definitely his favorite club from now on. With up to an inch of rain expected into Saturday, play may be in jeopardy.
Steve Stricker is hoping they tee it up, even if it's 40 degrees, blowing 20 mph, and there's water on the greens. Wouldn't stop him!! But don't sleep on Dustin Johnson, who looks like he's have fun when almost everyone around him looks like a wet rat.
INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER: Steve Voguit, head instructor at the TOUR Academyat World Golf Village, analyzes the playing conditions at Riviera.
For some, the rain put a damper on their play in Round 2 at Riviera, but for others, it was a non-issue. Steve Stricker finished Round 2 with a 65, placing him 10 under par going into the weekend, clearly showing his mental prowess and ability to play in very difficult conditions.
A great lesson to be learned from this is how to play golf in uncomfortable situations, whether we are a beginner golfer, or a seasoned veteran on the PGA TOUR.
To make your game more mentally tough, try building a pre-shot routine that you can consistently rely on. Here are a few steps to get you started. First, stand behind your ball and pick and intermediate target, a spot between your ball and ultimate target. Second, approach your ball and set your club face to the intermediate target and align your body parallel to the target line. Third always make sure to stay in motion and stare at your target. Lastly, let it rip! Watch the guys this weekend, run through their pre-shot routines as they battle the difficult weather conditions.
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