After rain, Nissan Open may end in playoff hole

LOS ANGELES -- The Nissan Open is headed for uncharted waters.

After four days at rainy Riviera Country Club, no one has played more than 37 holes. And when rain suspended play a mere 30 minutes into the third round Sunday afternoon, officials conceded the possibility that the next hole anyone plays will be a sudden-death playoff between Adam Scott and Chad Campbell.

That's assuming they can find a hole that's not under water.

"We're going to make every effort to play," PGA Tour tournament director Mark Russell said. "We're going to come back in the morning, try to finish the third round and see how it goes from there."

Where the Nissan Open stood Sunday evening was baffling.

Campbell wound up getting the weekend off, which is golf vernacular for missing the cut. At the rain-delayed Nissan Open, that means he finished his second round Friday and hasn't hit another shot since then, not even on the range.

"None yesterday and none today," Campbell said. "That's zero."

Scott rarely feels a sense of urgency in the second round of any tournament, but this happened to be on a Sunday afternoon when he was one shot out of the lead, with clouds gathering on the horizon.

"I did think this may be the last putt of the week here," Scott said. "So I better make it count."

Scott rolled in a 20-foot birdie from the fringe on his final hole for a 5-under 66 in a second round that took him three days to complete. It put him at 9-under 133, tied with Campbell.

What happens next depends on the weather.

The forecast is for heavy rain overnight and throughout today, and Russell said Riviera is at the point where any rain will flood fairways and bunkers.

Players were to return today at 7:30 a.m. -- only 12 of the 75 who made the cut teed off in the third round -- and hope the forecast is wrong. The goal is to at least complete 54 holes so it becomes an official tournament.

Otherwise, Russell said it could revert to a 36-hole tournament, the winner decided by a playoff.

The last time that happened was the 2000 BellSouth Classic, when the final round was washed out. Phil Mickelson and Gary Nicklaus went to the par-3 16th hole, where Mickelson made birdie to win.

"Hopefully, we won't have to do that," Russell said. "Hopefully, we can come out tomorrow and play golf."

Champions Tour

Former European Ryder Cup captain Mark James won his second Champions Tour title, birdieing the final two holes for a two-stroke victory over Hale Irwin and Tom Wargo in The ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla.

James closed with a 6-under 66 for a 13-under 203 total at The Club at TwinEagles. Wargo finished with a 66, and Irwin had a 68.

European PGA Tour

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee successfully defended his Malaysian Open title, closing with a 2-under 70 for a three-stroke victory. He had a 21-under 267 total on the Saujana course. India's Jyoti Randhawa (67) finished second.

Nationwide Tour

Australia's Steven Bowditch won the Jacob's Creek Open in Adelaide, Australia, finishing with a 1-under 71 for a five-stroke victory in the event co-sanctioned by the Nationwide and Australasian tours.

--From wire reports