Rain suspends play at Bay Hill

Associated Press

ORLANDO, FLA.

Three hours of rain put a stop to the final round at Bay Hill.

It did little to cool off Ernie Els.

Even though Els will have a two-shot lead with four holes remaining when the Arnold Palmer Invitational resumes today, the Big Easy couldn’t help but think about how hard the task had become.

One minute he was five shots head and cruising toward his second straight victory on the PGA Tour. Then came a shot into the water, another shot into the sand, and Els was facing a restless night.

“Obviously, I’m not totally at ease with myself right now,” Els said. “I’m a little angry or disappointed or whatever you want to call it. There’s still work out there to be done, and I’ve got to get it done. I’ve basically got to go out there and play hard tomorrow morning, four holes as good as I can.”

Els was at 11-under par through 14 holes when thunderstorms halted the final round, and rain soaked Bay Hill over the next three hours. Kevin Na was at 9 under and on the front of the green on the 15th hole, facing an 80-foot birdie putt.

The final round is to resume at 10 a.m. in the first Monday finish at Bay Hill since 1982.

“I was playing well and Ernie looked like he was struggling,” Na said. “Probably good for Ernie that they called it so he can clear his head a little bit. For me, I need to make birdies to catch Ernie.”

Ben Curtis and Chris Couch, playing in the final group with Els were at 8 under. Couch still had a 15-foot par putt on the par-3 14th. Retief Goosen also was 8 under through 17 holes.

J.P. Hayes and D.J. Trahan each shot 70 and were finished at 6-under 282. Phil Mickelson, who started his week with a 58 during a casual round in the California desert, ended it with a 77.

LPGA

CARLSBAD, CALIF.

Hee Kyung Seo ran away with the inaugural Kia Classic for her first LPGA Tour title, shooting a 2-under 70 for a six-stroke victory in a final round marked by Michelle Wie’s latest rules gaffe.

Seo, who is not a member of the LPGA Tour, received one of the three sponsor’s exemptions to get into the tournament. The 23-year-old Seo, an 11-time on the Korean LPGA Tour, can chose to become an LPGA Tour member.

After opening with a 70 at La Costa, Seo took the lead with a second-round 67 and had a 69 on Saturday en route to a 12-under 276 total.

South Koreans swept the top four spots, with Inbee Park (65) finishing second, and Jiyai Shin (70) and Jee Young Lee (70) tying for third at 5 under.

Wie was penalized two strokes for grounding her club in a hazard after hitting out of the water near the 11th green, giving her a double-bogey 7.