Marathon Sunday for big names after bad weather in Augusta

Augusta Masters leader Chad Campbell, three clear at halfway, had time only for four holes in the third round as bad weather hit play.

After he grabbed birdies at the first two of them to go four clear, the Texan bogeyed the next two and saw his advantage trimmed to one by fellow American Rocco Mediate and South African Tim Clark.

Phil Mickelson came out even faster than Campbell. He holed from 10 feet at the first, chipped to three feet on the next and then made a 10-footer on the third.

But the day finished disappointingly for the 2004 champion. He missed from four feet to bogey the short fourth and followed that by visiting the trees at the fifth, his final hole, and dropped another shot to be three back.

On the same three under mark are defending champion Tiger Woods and Dubliner Padraig Harrington.

Woods birdied the third and eighth in an outward 34 – and as last year he will have 27 holes to play with a day to go.

Harrington, meanwhile, was on in two at the 575-yard second and two-putted, then pitched to six feet on the third.

Darren Clarke, paired with Mickelson, bogeyed the first and remained one under after five holes.

The rain delay of over four hours meant there was no escape from another marathon Sunday for golf's biggest stars.

Play was originally halted just after 1pm – some 90 minutes before Campbell was due to tee off for his third round.

It was the eighth time in nine years the first major of the season has been hit by bad weather and when the resumption finally came at 5.20pm it was inevitable the leaders would manage just a few holes.

Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia were among those who almost certainly fell out of contention.

Donald double-bogeyed the 11th and ran up another six on the long 15th in a 76 to be six over, while Garcia triple-bogeyed the 11th and when the stoppage came stood eight over with two remaining.

In total, 36 players have to complete their third rounds today. Play will resume at 12.45pm Irish time.