Eye on the Sky

Davis Love III spent a lot of time Sunday looking skyward, but only saw storm clouds. Plus, John Daly battled the 17th hole to a draw this week, the top 15 finishers can book their reservations for Medinah next year, and more. 

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (AP) -- Davis Love III spent a lot time Sunday looking skyward, but there was no rainbow at this PGA Championship, just storm clouds.

Love shared the lead and the final pairing with Phil Mickelson at Baltusrol but fell off the pace quickly with three straight bogeys from Nos. 3-5, dropping from 6-under at the start to 3-under after the fifth. Another bogey at the seventh sent Love to 2-under and in danger of disappearing from the leader board.

The 1997 PGA Champion rebounded with a birdie at the 10th but gave that stroke back at the 11th. He was at 2-under, two strokes behind the front-running Mickelson with five holes remaining when play was suspended.

Mickelson, looking for another major to go with his 2004 Masters title, got to 7-under with a birdie at the fourth but struggled over the next five holes. He was at 4-under by the turn and dropped another stroke with a bogey at the 10th before a birdie at the 13th got him back to 4-under.

Love kept a close eye on the darkening sky, and when he heard a crack of lightning while on the 14th green, he quickly left the course.

Love had credited patience for his success in the early rounds, when he looked nothing like the player who failed to make the cut at the Masters and British Open, but that virtue was missing Sunday. Love hit just four of 10 fairways and posted five bogeys and one birdie over 13 holes.

In 1997, as Love putted out on the 18th green to win the PGA Championship title for his only major, a rainbow appeared in the sky over Winged Foot, which he took as a sign that his late father was looking down on him.

On Sunday, storm clouds descended on Baltusrol and left Love and the other players hoping for a clearer sky on Monday for completion of the final round.

DALY AT 17, AND MORE: Despite his best effort, John Daly wasn't able to reach the 650-yard 17th hole in two in the final round, leaving his 3-wood from 286 yards short.

The 1991 PGA Champion hit a driver and 3-iron to reach the green during the third round and, for the second straight major at Baltusrol, was the only player to make the par 5 in two shots. Tiger Woods reached it with a 2-iron Sunday, but his ball ran through into the rough just behind the green.

Daly played the hole in 1-under for the championship.

At the 1993 U.S. Open, when the hole was 20 yards shorter, Daly was the only player to reach it in two shots, hitting 1-iron for his second shot.

Daly averaged 334.6 yards per drive in the PGA Championship, hitting 18 of 56 fairways.

One day after using a wedge to putt over the final eight holes because the head of his putter became loose, Daly returned to a conventional flat stick and was pleased with his performance.

"I actually putted the ball really well today," Daly said after having 32 putts in a 74 to finish 12-over.

CROWDED LEADER BOARD EQUALS RATINGS: The overnight television ratings for the third round of the PGA Championship were 42 percent higher than last year and 7 percent better than 2003.

CBS Sports' Saturday broadcast from Baltusrol drew a 4.4 rating and an 11 share, well above the 2004 championship at Whistling Straits, which had a 3.1 rating and 7 share. The third round of the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill drew an overnight rating of 4.1 and a 10 share.

Overnight ratings measure the 55 largest TV markets in the United States, covering nearly 70 percent of the country. Each overnight rating point represents about 735,000 TV homes.

CLUB PROFESSIONALS: Steve Schneiter closed with a flourish, making eagle at the 72nd hole for the best finish of the four PGA club professionals who qualified for the weekend.

The assistant professional from Sandy, Utah, who failed to make the cut in seven previous PGA Championships, followed three 72s with an even-par 70 to finish 6-over 286.

"I'm honored to be the low club pro," said the 41-year-old Schneiter, who earned a spot in the closing ceremony with his finish. "I don't know if I deserve being with the champion -- I mean, shooting 6-over par -- but I think that's a neat thing and I'll cherish this week for a long time."

Ron Philo Jr., who had his sister, LPGA player Laura Diaz, as his caddie, had a final-round 72 and was 9-over.

Reigning PGA Club Professional champion Mike Small, the men's golf coach at the University of Illinois, finished 15-over after a 73, and Darrell Kestner, the head professional at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhassett, N.Y., had a four-round total of 19-over after a closing 73.

DIVOTS: The top 15 finishers and ties automatically qualify for next year's PGA Championship at Medinah, and the top five earn a spot in the Masters. ... Former U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Hal Sutton made his first cut of the year but finished last among the 79 players who made the cut, closing with a 78 for a 300 total.

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