Luke Donald leads chase in Northern Trust Open

Stricker five strokes clear when play suspended

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Luke Donald was tied for second place in the chase as Steve Stricker threatened to run away with the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in California on Saturday.
Stricker, the runner-up behind Phil Mickelson 12 months ago at Pacific Palisades, had a five-shot lead over the field when play was suspended for the second day in a row due to darkness after another rainy day near Los Angeles.
Stricker, the world no 4, was four under par for the day and 14 under for the tournament after playing 14 holes of his third round before time was called on a day that had begun with 41 players still playing their second rounds.
England's Ryder Cup stalwart Donald was one of the late finishers returning to a par-71 course that had seen three inches of rainfall overnight on Friday. He completed a one-under-par second round of 70 to get to four under and turned straight around to move to nine under after 18 bogey-free holes and a five-under third-round 66.
That put Donald, bidding for a first victory since the 2006 Honda Classic, in a tie for second with Andres Romero of Argentina, who had played 14 holes bogey-free but with just one birdie, and American J B Holmes, who carded a five-birdie, one-bogey 67.
Dustin Johnson, the 36-hole leader, was eight under after 14 holes, three over for his third round with four holes to play. Also on eight under were his fellow Americans George McNeill (66), and Kevin Stadler, who had played 15 holes.
US Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim had been going well at nine under until back-to-back bogeys at the 15th and 16th left him at seven under with one to play. Englishman Justin Rose had got into contention with a second-round 67 that got him to six under but the Ryder Cup man was unable to make further progress and was one over for his third round after 15 holes.
Mickelson, bidding for a third title in a row at Riviera, was another unable to keep pace with the leaders as he carded a level-par 71 to hold steady at four under for the tournament, with England's Brian Davis on three under having completed a 68.
Glasgow's Martin Laird had resumed his second round in the morning, with a late birdie taking him to two over to hold on for a second 72 in succession and make the cut on the limit mark of 144.
The Scot's third round saw him open with a double bogey at the par-three 10th before recovering to one under for the day to get to one over par after 16 holes - thanks in part to an eagle 3 at the first hole, his 10th.
Padraig Harrington, however, was left to rue a bogey on his penultimate hole early on Saturday morning as he missed the halfway cut by a stroke. Ireland's three-time major winner was two over overnight with two to play in his second round, but dropped the crucial shot upon the resumption.
LEADING COMPLETED THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
204 (-9) Luke Donald (England) 68 70 66, J B Holmes 68 69 67.
205 (-8) George McNeill 70 69 66.
206 (-7) Alex Prugh 71 6966, Steve Marino 70 67 69.
207 (-6) Scott Verplank 68 74 65, Brandt Snedeker 66 72 69.
Selected totals:
208 (-5) Ernie Els (South Africa) 68 70 70.
209 (-4) Phil Mickelson 72 66 71.
210 (-3) Brian Davis (England) 72 70 68.
LEADERS STILL TO COMPLETE THIRD ROUNDS
-14 after 14 Steve Stricker (67 65).
-9 after 14 Andres Romero (65 69).
-8 after 15 Kevin Stadler (65 71).
-8 after 14 Dustin Johnson (64 67).
-7 after 17 Anthony Kim (71 66).
Selected scores:
-5 after 15 Justin Rose (69 67).
-1 after 16 Martin Laird (72 72).