Guthrie weathers storms, sits tied for second in Korn Ferry Tour event with play suspended in second round

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A weather delay lasting more than three hours couldn’t derail Luke Guthrie’s birdie brigade.

Guthrie birdied back-to-back holes following the delay, added another birdie among his final three holes Friday and currently sits tied for second in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Memorial Health Championship at 13-under after play was suspended due to darkness.

The second round at Panther Creek Country Club will resume Saturday morning with Guthrie needing to play five holes.

The Quincy native was at 5-under for the round and tied with Ben Taylor at 13-under overall. Taylor shot a 7-under 64 and finished his final hole just before play was halted Friday night. Austin Smotherman shot an 8-under 63 and holds the lead at 14-under.

Guthrie, who was the first-round leader after shooting an 8-under 63, began Friday’s round as part of the afternoon wave and started with a bogey on the par-4 10th — his only bogey through 33 holes so far. He responded in good fashion, rolling in three consecutive birdie putts. He was on the 15th green — his sixth hole of the round — when lightning caused play to be delayed.

Golfers didn’t return to the course until 6:45 p.m. Guthrie parred the 15th when play resumed and then made birdies on the par-5 16th and par-3 17th to shoot a 4-under 32 on the back nine. After a par on the par-4 No. 1, he made a birdie on the par-3 second hole before making two more pars.

He will be teeing off on the par-3 fifth hole when play resumes Saturday.

Pekin product D.A. Points, who has family connections in Quincy, shot a 2-under 69 on Friday, but his 5-over 76 on Thursday leaves him at 3-over overall and well off the cutline. The cut is currently projected to be at 6-under.