Long day ahead for leader Allenby

Rocco Mediate may have the fans. But Robert Allenby has the stamina.

Forced to play 24 holes Saturday because of rain and fog earlier in the week, Allenby jumped to the top of the leaderboard at the Pennsylvania Classic before darkness set in at the Laurel Valley Golf Club.

Through 15 holes of his third round, Allenby is at 14-under-par -- two shots better than Mediate, a member of Laurel Valley who has been followed by throngs of fans and family.

"Well, I've got to hit it to a foot," Allenby joked when asked about the support his playing partner has been receiving. "That's why I hit so many shots close. I'll get a clap out of them."

Allenby is far from his home in Australia, but he was right at home on a day featuring extra holes. He is 7-0 lifetime in playoffs, including all three of his PGA Tour titles.

Eleven players have yet to complete the third round after heavy rain hammered the course Thursday and fog followed early Friday. Fog also delayed play for an hour Saturday morning.

The third round will resume Sunday at 9 a.m. EDT and the fourth will get under way at 11:26.

Kevin Sutherland has the clubhouse lead at 11-under 205. Jay Haas and Cameron Beckman are at 10-under 206, tied with Nick Price of Zimbabwe and Aussie Steve Elkington, who were on the 17th hole when play was called.

"It's definitely easier to sleep in a little bit, kind of get into more of a normal routine as far as golf is concerned," said Sutherland, who is seeking his first career title.

Beckman also is preparing for a chance at his first PGA Tour win.

"I haven't had much time to think about it," said Beckman, who never has finished better than 10th. "But this has been one of my major goals this year."

The entire field likely would have finished the third round if not for a fog delay between 7:30-8:30 a.m. It did not stop Allenby, who played nine holes in 4-under to grab the lead at 9-under.

"I think the worst thing is when you get up so early and there's a delay for an hour because of fog," said Allenby, who awoke at 5:30 a.m. to complete nine holes in the second round.

Leading Steve Flesch by a shot, Allenby opened the third round with five birdies in seven holes but could not shake Mediate, who birdied five of his first 11 to stay within two shots.

"Yeah, it was great," said Allenby, who thought the head-to-head battle was good for the crowd. "Obviously, I was making some and he was making some. He was holing some great putts and hitting some great shots."

Allenby also hit some great shots. Of his five early birdies in the third round, three were within three feet and two were no longer than a foot.

"When you feel that confident, you might as well just go for it because you know it's going to come off because you've got the confidence in yourself to do it," he said.

Allenby took a step back with a bogey at the par-5 11th but rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt at the 12th. He missed birdie chances from Nos. 13-15 as darkness overtook Laurel Valley.

"You know, I was starting to fatigue and starting to get a little bit drained," said Allenby, who won the Nissan Open in a six-way playoff in February.

Mediate, who played only 15 holes Saturday after finishing his second round Friday, bogeyed the 12th but birdied the 14th. He and Allenby had trouble reading their putts at No. 15 before play was halted.

"The fairway was in the distance down 16 and it was like, `I know it's down there,'" Allenby said. "But you couldn't focus on exactly where you were going to hit it."

Allenby wished the round would have been suspended 10 minutes earlier.

"We might as well go back in the morning when we can see," he said.

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