LONG DAY LOOMS IN MICHIGAN

Justin Rose and the other leading contenders will have to negotiate all of 36 holes in a long, longf day today (Sunday) before they can become the 90th US PGA champion, writes Simon Lewis of the PA

This after PGA officials suspended play for the day at 11h30 BST, more than four hours after the first of many thunderstorms in the Detroit area had brought a halt with only 25 of the 73-man field having completed their third rounds.

Halfway leader JB Holmes and the rest of the leading three pairings including England's Rose, Korean Charlie Wi, Americans Ben Curtis and David Toms, both already owners of major titles, and Swede Henrik Stenson, had not even started their rounds when play was finally called off.

In the meantime Northern Irelands Graeme McDowell, Argentina's Andres Romero and Colombian Camila Villegas had all made charges towards the top of the leaderboard.

Romero started the third round at storied Oakland Hillls Country Club at seven under par - eight shots back on the second round leader Holmes - while both Colombia's Villegas and McDowell teed off at six over.

After a difficult opening two days' play on the cruel and unforgiving par-70 Michigan course, all three got on track and were going like a steam train when rain called a halt.

Romero had rattled in seven birdies and just two bogeys on his way to a five-under, course-record-equalling 65 to move to two over for the tournament. Villegas was four under for his round, one over for the tournament after 14 holes.

And McDowell, a two-time European Tour winner this year, had begun with birdies at the par-five second and the par-four sixth - a hole tournament officials shortened from 387 yards following the second round, to a distance of 285 yards to the front of the green and 318 yards to the hole.

McDowell was at two over for the week and four under for the day after 15 holes in a round that included an eagle three at the 12th.

Mreanwhile Rose, still sitting the clubhouse without having fired a shot, was just one stroke off the lead in the final major of the year following a second-round, three-under-par 67 that moved him to even par for the tournament.

The Englishman had been due to tee off in the second-from-last pairing with 2003 Open champion Curtis at 7.30pm BST.

But the forecast of numerous showers and thunderstorms across the region proved correct, and play was suspended at 19h16 (localo time)

When the rain came it was brief but torrential - and just as groundskeepers worked to clear surface water, the showers returned as dark skies remained more than two hours after the suspension was called.

The third round had got under way under mostly sunny skies.

With the cut coming last night at eight-over-par, 73 golfers remain in the championship.

England's Paul Casey, though, insisted after the second round that anyone surviving the cut had a chance at victory.

Casey, seven strokes off the halfway lead, believes the severity of the par-70, 7,395-yard course and the forecast gusting winds leave the contest wide open.

"I honestly think anyone making the cut right now has still got a chance," Casey said following his second-round, four-over-par 74 that left him at six over for the tournament heading into the weekend.

"Those going out in the morning with the better greens can post a number, and there is no reason why they can't get close to the lead.

"I was close to the cut at The Open and finished tied for seventh. I don't see why you can't do the same here.

"The guys at the top know how tough it can be - and while they have played great golf to get there, they need to play well to stay at the top."

Yet while McDowell, Romero and Villegas were putting Casey's theory to the test, the man himself bogeyed the par-four first to slip back to seven over before steadying with pars for the rest of his front nine.

There was another bogey at the 11th, and Casey was two over for his round after 14 holes when play was suspended.

Ian Poulter looked to be on course for nightmare third round when he opened with a double-bogey six at the first but bounced back with three birdies - a bogey at the fifth keeping him at even for the round and five over for the tournament.

THE LEADERBOARD AFTER DAY THREE

-1 - JB Holmes (USA) (after 36 holes)

Even - Ben Curtis (USA) (36)

Even - Justin Rose (Eng) (36)

Even - Charlie Wi (Kor) (36)

+1 - Steve Flesch (USA) (41)

+1 - Henrik Stenson (Swe) (36)

+1 - David Toms (USA) (36)

+2 - Andres Romero (Arg) (54)

+2 - Camilo Villegas (Col) (50)

+2 - Boo Weekley (USA) (40)

+2 - Aaron Baddeley (Aus) (37)

+2 - Ken Duke (USA) (37)

+2 - Sergio Garcia (Spa) (37)

+2 - Brandt Snedeker (USA) (37)

+2 - Angel Cabrera (Arg) (36)

+2 - Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) (36)

+3 - Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) (53)

+3 - Graeme McDowell (NIrl) (52)

+3 - Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) (48)

+3 - Brian Gay (42)