Matt Fitzpatrick powered into a share of the lead as Rory McIlroy struggled before fog forced play to be suspended at the Genesis Scottish Open on Saturday.
After eight holes of his third round, Fitzpatrick led on 11 under par at the Renaissance Club alongside Michael Thorbjornsen, who had five holes to play.
McIlroy, who had been in a tie for first on nine under overnight and was playing alongside Fitzpatrick, fell back to six under after bogeying three of the opening seven.
Play is due to restart at 7am on Sunday, with the fourth round, to be played in three-balls, following quickly after the third is completed. There are 22 players still to finish.
With The Open taking place at Royal Birkdale next week and players needing to make plans to travel to Merseyside, there will be no appetite for a Monday finish in the case of more bad weather.
Players were already set for a late finish after a suspension of two-and-a-half hours earlier in the day because of fog.
Of those who had completed their rounds, American Johnny Keefer was the standout, having shot a six-under-par 64 to set the clubhouse lead on 10 under.
By the time of the suspension he had been joined by five other players on that score – including defending champion Chris Gotterup, US Open winner Wyndham Clark and England’s Jordan Smith – but all were still out on the course.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who had played nine holes, was one of three players on nine under.
McIlroy and Fitzpatrick did not tee off until after 6pm.
While Fitzpatrick, one back at halfway, started well with a birdie on the second, McIlroy missed a short par putt on the third to slip back. He dropped further shots on the fifth and seventh.
Fitzpatrick continued to move in the opposite direction as he picked up three more birdies and held the outright lead at one point before a bogey at the eighth.
Thorbjornsen had played 13 blemish-free holes, picking up five strokes along the way to put himself firmly in contention.
English trio Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett and Tommy Fleetwood were four shots off the lead.
PA
