An incoming storm halted play during Round 2 of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as a large group of players were left with holes to play at TPC Louisiana.
But that didn’t stop many from taking advantage of the course early. Hudson Swafford posted a 6-under 66 during the morning round, sharing the lead with Boo Weekley at 11 under, and Marc Leishman turned heads by playing the first 17 holes in 10 under.
Twenty golfers are within three shots of that mark and more than 80 players are at 4 under or better, just inside the cut line in Avondale, La.
Jason Day is just one shot back at 10 under for the week with several holes to play in his second round, posing a major threat for Swafford and Weekley at the top.
See how the action unfolded in Avondale, La., and be sure to scroll down for complete coverage from the week:
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Update #26: 5:59 p.m.
Play has been called for the day as a large storm moves into the New Orleans area. Play will resume Saturday at 7 a.m. ET.
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Update #25: 5:31 p.m.
Players are being sent in and play has been suspended due to inclement weather.
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Update #24: 5:25 p.m.
Marc Leishman, at 10 under through 17 holes, is having a remarkable day, but his playing partner, Jerry Kelly, is playing nearly as well. Kelly is 8 under on the day and 10 under overall.
Kelly, who won the event in 2009, made four straight birdies from No. 13 to 16.
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Update #23: 5:03 p.m.
Marc Leishman is on fire. Leishman has birdied eight of his past 10 holes and is 10 under on the day with two holes to be played. After opening with a 2-over 74, Leishman has roared back to 8 under, just three shots off of the lead.
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Update #22: 4:46 p.m.
After a quiet front nine of 1-under 31, Boo Weekley has railed off two straight birdies at Nos. 2 and 3, tying Hudson Swafford for the lead at 11 under.
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Update #21: 4:41 p.m.
Freddie Jacobson made a three-putt for the first time since January today, opening his round with a three-putt bogey from 34 feet. Jacobson set the PGA Tour record for most consecutive holes without a three-putt, with his streak making it to 542 holes (the Tour starting keeping that statistic in 2003). Before today, his last three-putt came at the Humana Challenge on Jan. 23.
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Update #20: 4:38 p.m.
Justin Thomas took in the Pelicans-Warriors NBA playoff game last night with Justin Rose, and he must have been inspired by the Warriors’ fourth-quarter comeback, because he’s gone eagle-birdie-birdie over his past three holes to make the turn in 32 and reach 8 under.
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Here’s Thomas’ reaction when Stephen Curry sent the game to overtime with a made 3-pointer:
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Update #19: 4:20 p.m.
Boo Weekley used a nice pitch at the par-5 second hole to set up a short birdie putt. Weekley made the 4-footer, moving to 10 under and within a shot of the lead.
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Update #18: 4:12 p.m.
Daniel Berger, who was on a streak of five straight pars, birdied the par-5 11th to move within one shot of the lead. Berger has yet to make a bogey on the day and is 4 under through 11.
Jason Day made a birdie at the ninth, going out in 2-under 34. Day is 7 under overall after the birdie.
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Update #17:4:03 p.m.
After opening the tournament with an 8-under 64, Boo Weekley has been relatively quiet. Weekley played the front bogey-free and made the turn in 31, sitting two shots off the lead at 9 under. He’s equal with Daniel Berger at that mark, who is 3 under on the day through 10.
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Update #16: 3:59 p.m.
The Zurich Classic is known for its wildlife, whether it be alligators or snakes on the loose. Here’s a look at the latter today on the course:
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Update #15: 3:35 p.m.
Steve Stricker is still working his way back after having back surgery – he’s even for the day and 3 under overall – but here’s a reminder of what he can do when he’s on his game (Stricker made the putt from 58 feet at No. 6):
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Update #14: 3:20 p.m.
Marc Leishman is well off the lead at 2 under, but, at 4 under for the day, he’s bolted 40 spots up the leaderboard today. Here’s a big reason why. Leishman chipped in for birdie on a nice shot at the ninth from 54 feet. He made the turn in 32.
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Update #13: 3:08 p.m.
Both Jason Day and Dustin Johnson hit birdie putts at the fifth, with Johnson’s coming from 12 feet and Day’s from 6. With the birdie, Johnson moves within four shot of the lead at 7 under and Day makes it to 6 under.
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Update #12: 2:50 p.m.
Dustin Johnson used his length as a weapon at the par-5 second, leaving himself a 50-footer for eagle. Johnson missed, but cleaned up for birdie to reach 6 under for the week.
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Update #11: 2:36 p.m.
Daniel Berger started his round on a roll, making three birdies over his first five holes. Berger’s latest birdie came at the par-3 14th, where he stuck his tee shot to less than 2 feet. He’s 9 under for the week and through five holes today, two off the lead.
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Update #10: 2:22 p.m.
Jason Day and Dustin Johnson have started their rounds, making pars at the first hole. Seventeen golfers from the morning wave have hopped Day and Johnson, who opened with rounds of 67. Leader Hudson Swafford was even with the pair before shooting a 66 today to make it to 11 under.
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Update #9: 1:50 p.m.
Hudson Swafford drains a 13-footer on No. 16 to move into the solo lead at 11 under. He’s 6 under on his round playing the par-5 18th.
He’s one shot clear of Brendon de Jonge (2-under 70) and Greg Owen (4 under thru 17).
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Update #8: 1:18 p.m.
Brendon de Jonge cards a 2-under 70 to get into the clubhouse at 10 under, currently tied for the lead with Hudson Swafford.
Swafford just moved into double figures behind a birdie at No. 15 and is 5 under on the day.
Swafford, a Georgia product, has only two top-10 finishes in 43 starts on the PGA Tour, including none in the top 3. He has made 8 of 16 cuts in the 2015 season.
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Update #7: 12:42 p.m.
After 12 consecutive pars, Brendon de Jonge jumps back into a share of the lead with a birdie at No. 17 and is now 10 under as well.
De Jonge is quietly having a very solid year, with three top-10 finishes in 15 starts, making the cut in 12 of those. He lost in a playoff at the McGladrey Classic in October.
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Update #6: 12:19 p.m.
And just like that, we have a new leader in Greg Owen. The Englishman goes pin-hunting on the par-3 third hole and then drains a 15-footer for birdie to move to 10 under, one clear of Brendon de Jonge.
Meanwhile, Scott Stallings has recovered from a dismal 2-over 74 on Thursday, going 7 under behind nine birdies and two bogeys through 14 holes to move all the way to 5 under, currently T-19. There were two 64s on Thursday.
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Update #5: 12:08 p.m.
With a birdie at the par-5 2nd, Greg Owen has joined Brendon de Jonge in the lead at 9 under. Owen started on the back and had a clean card, posting two birdies and seven pars for a 2-under 34.
The Englishman has never won on the PGA Tour, with only one second-place finish in 210 starts. He’s also missed 6 of 9 cuts this season.
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Update #4: 11:50 a.m.
Three consecutive birdies from Nos. 9-11 put Bryce Molder only a shot off the lead, as Brendon de Jonge has played steady golf today, sitting at 1 under on the day through 13.
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Update #3: 11:03 a.m.
Scoring conditions continue to be optimal, just ask Jonas Blixt.
The Swede has jumped 103 spots on the leaderboard after a 6-under 30 on the front nine to leap from 4 over to 2 under on the tournament.
Blixt has endured an up-and-down season, making only 6 of 12 cuts, with only three top-25 finishes. He has hung around for the weekend only four times in the 2015 calendar year.
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Update #2: 11 a.m.
Defending champion Seung-yul Noh has withdrawn from the tournament due to a bad back.
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Update #1: 10:45 a.m.
The Goose is on the loose, as Retief Goosen has four birdies in his opening seven holes to jump to 6 under, three back of leader Brendon de Jonge.
Goosen has seven career PGA Tour victories, but last was in the winner’s circle in 2009. He did secure his first top-3 finish in four years at the Frys.com Open in October.
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Thursday
Recap: Zurich Classic yields low scores during Round 1
See how the action unfolded during Round 1 of the Zurich Classic.
De Jonge, Weekley lead rain-soaked Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Birdies were falling on Thursday as Brendon de Jonge and Boo Weekley took a share of the first-round lead in Louisiana.
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Wednesday
Is Jim Furyk Hall worthy? You bet
PGA Tour players Jim Furyk has the criteria and should be in the World Golf Hall of Fame writes Golfweek senior writer Jeff Babineau.
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Tuesday
Zurich Classic field, by the rankings
Jason Day and Dustin Johnson highlight the field as the PGA Tour stops in New Orleans for the Zurich Classic.
WGC-Match Play: How money, FedEx Cup points will be awarded
With the format being changed for this year’s WGC-Match Play Championship, the awarding of prize money and FedEx Cup points will take on a different look than in years past.
By the numbers: WGC-Match Play field
There are six 2015 PGA Tour winners that will not be playing the WGC-Match Play Championship, while plenty of 2014 participants have fallen off the Match Play map.
Spieth, McIlroy face schedule problems ahead of U.S. Open
Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott are all facing busy schedules as they prepare for the year’s second major, the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.
DraftKings Fantasy Tip Sheet: Zurich Classic of New Orleans
DraftKings PGA Tour Fantasy Golf advice for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
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Monday
RBC Heritage champion Jim Furyk talks iron play
RBC Heritage winner Jim Furyk has been very consistent with his irons and talked to Golfweek recently about his equipment.
WGC Match Play berths solidified; Martin and Fleetwood in
PGA Tour player Ben Martin and European Tour player Tommy Fleetwood were among the top 64 players in the world who received WGC-Match Play berths.
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