Azinger leads a darkened Memorial

Paul Azinger leads the US PGA Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Ohio by two strokes but must complete his third round…

Paul Azinger leads the US PGA Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Ohio by two strokes but must complete his third round after darkness forced a halt to play.

Two-time defending champion Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Stuart Appleby share second spot two strokes behind Azinger as 25 players must finish their third rounds.

Azinger was on 11 under par after 14 holes when darkness set in and stopped play. Woods and Garcia, who also got through 14 holes, were two-under for the round, while Appleby got through 15 holes and is three under.

Because of the weather, the tournament will start the final round on the front and back nine and the final round will feature players playing in three-balls instead of the usual twosomes.

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"The conditions were really severe and I knew that bogeys were going to happen," said Azinger, who bogeyed the fourth and fifth.

"I didn't get frustrated. I really just felt like I could not win the tournament today, I just said plug along, you've got a long ways to go, being the conditions are tough."

Woods birdied three of his first seven holes but dropped off the pace with a bogey atthe 12th.

He is seeking to become the first player since Tom Watson to capture the same event for three consecutive years. Watson won the Byron Nelson Classic from 1978-1980.

Garcia, who won the Colonial two weeks ago for his first PGA Tour title, birdied the first hole but bogeyed the 10th. He rebounded with consecutive birdies at the 12thand 13thto move into contention.

PA