Four tied for lead at rain-plagued Open

The weather showed few signs of easing, nor did the logjam at the top of the leaderboard at the Houston Open.

Patrick Sheehan birdied the first hole to forge a four-way tie for the lead before third-round play was suspended at the PGA Tour event.

Sheehan played just one hole at the Redstone Golf Club before play was halted due to darkness. It was delayed some seven-and-a-half hours at the start of the day due to rain.

That meant that twilight was falling when co-leaders Steve Lowery, Steve Stricker and rookie Zach Johnson teed off.

The worst-case scenario is completing the final round on Monday.

The leaders are tied at five-under-par, one shot ahead of seven golfers, including 2002 champion Vijay Singh of Fiji. Like Sheehan, the world’s second-ranked player got in just one hole in his third round.

Another nine players are two shots off the pace, including former British Open champion and Dallas native Justin Leonard.

Defending champion Fred Couples, barely made the cut and is seven strokes back at two over.