Beem takes lead before play suspended in Orlando
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-23 09:43

Rich Beem hit a nine-under-par 63 to surge into the lead before thunderstorms ended play early in the third round of the $4.4 million Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida on Saturday.

It was the second consecutive day that play was brought to a premature halt because of bad weather.

Beem, without a victory since the 2002 U.S. PGA Championship, began the round five shots off the lead.

But the 35-year-old American, who has missed 12 of 15 cuts since his second-place finish at the BellSouth Classic in April, had six birdies on his back nine at the Magnolia Golf Club to record a 19-under total of 197.

One stroke off the pace were Americans Pernice, Mark Calcavecchia and Mark Wilson, Sweden's Carl Pettersson, South African Tim Clark and Geoff Ogilvy of Australia.

Wilson also signed for a 63 while Calcavecchia, who claimed his first win in four years at the Canadian Open last month, returned a seven-under 65 for 198.

Pernice, Pettersson, Clark and Ogilvy were still out on the course at 18-under when the siren sounded to end play.

The third round will be completed on Sunday morning, followed immediately by the final round.

With Hurricane Wilma swirling in the gulf and the state of Florida on alert, tournament officials hope to complete the event before even more severe weather hits the coast.

"The same routine, go home and do my laundry, feed the kids, put them to bed, watch a ball game," said Beem when asked about his preparations for Sunday.

"My best finishes this year have been rain-delayed events, Los Angeles, BellSouth," he told reporters.

Earlier in the day, the tournament lost its two biggest names when world number one Tiger Woods and number two Vijay Singh failed to make the cut.

Woods, returning to complete his second round, finished with a 73 for 141, three under.

It was only the fourth time in his career as a professional that Woods had missed the cut in a PGA Tour event.

Fijian Singh carded a 71 for 140.