Play suspended at 3.57pm local time at Augusta National due to the threat of lightning; Justin Rose held a one-shot lead at The Masters when the horn sounded, with the third round then resuming at 5.15pm (10.15pm BST)
Saturday 10 April 2021 22:17, UK
The third round of the 85th Masters had to be stopped for nearly 80 minutes due to the threat of adverse weather at Augusta National.
Augusta officials brought a halt to proceedings shortly before 4pm local time (9pm BST) due to the threat of lightning, with players and patrons removed from the course.
Overnight leader Justin Rose remained one ahead and was on the seventh green when the horn was sounded, with the Englishman birdieing his opening two holes but then posting back-to-back bogeys from the fourth.
Rose's playing partner Will Zalatoris is his closest challenger and sits on six under, with Canada's Corey Conners - who made a hole-in-one at the par-three sixth - in the group two off the pace with six holes of his round to play.
Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas and Marc Leishman are alongside Conners on five under, while three-time major champion Jordan Spieth is within three of the lead after making an incredible birdie from the trees at the par-five eighth.
A weather update issued less than an hour before play was stopped indicated that storms were not likely until later in the day, with the statement saying there was a 40 per cent chance of showers from 4pm local time and a 60 per cent risk of showers and isolated thunderstorms from 6pm.
Players were allowed back on the range shortly before 5pm and gates were reopened at 5pm to allow patrons back on the course, with the third round eventually resuming after a 78-minute suspension at 5.15pm.
It's the second successive year The Masters has experienced a weather delay, with the opening round of the 2020 contest stopped for nearly three hours due to heavy rain and the threat of storms.
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