PEBL BEACH, California.

Keith Mitchell rode the strongest wind at Pebble Beach, so strong that he hit an iron 8 on the 106-yard seventh Hole. And just when he thought he was off the hook, making his way through the ocean holes, he blew the horn to stop the game.

“We knew we were going today that it was going to be difficult holes. This will be the most difficult section of the week,” Mitchell said. “If we could get through this stretch with a relatively good score, I would be set for the weekend.”

He managed, and after a long trip on No. 11 with the wind at his back, he suddenly had the rest of the day.

Peter Malnati was at the top of the leaderboard in 12th with six holes left in his round at Pebble Beach. He started on the last nine along the ocean in favorable conditions and was on the fourth green, hitting three birdies in a row when play stopped.

Mitchell, who played alongside Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, and Joseph Bramlett, who played with Welsh football star Gareth Bale, were under 10 years old.

Kurt Kitayama, the 36-hole leader, and Hank Lebioda were three shots behind. They were on the Spyglass.

The culprit was the Coast Course on the Monterey Peninsula, especially its stretch along the ocean. Gary Young, head umpire on the PGA Tour, started getting reports of balls moving on the green. He said that one amateur took a hit and the wind started blowing him back towards the player.

When alternating three fields, the game must stop at all three fields. It was hoped that the PGA Tour would resume in the afternoon, but the wind was relentless, and the forecast did not inspire optimism.

The third round was scheduled to resume on Sunday morning, and the amateurs had the opportunity to return and complete the pro-am, which will consist of only 54 holes.

Mitchell was asked if he expected Allen to be among the amateurs who would finish.

“I didn’t talk to him. But this afternoon the guy was training in the rain and in the wind with everyone inside,” he said. “I can’t imagine him not showing up. Tomorrow morning the weather will be better than it is now in Buffalo, I can promise you that.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was in the lead. His partner is Ben Silverman from Canada and they were 25 under par. This would point to the excellent golfing of Rodgers, who plays with a handicap of 10 and receives limited help from Silverman, who was 2 over at the tournament.

The 54-hole tenderloin usually ranks in the top 60, making 25 amateurs. Now he will return to the top 65 and draw, and the professionals will only be in the final round. Young expects the lead group to hit nine holes.

Monday’s finish will be the second time Pebble hasn’t been decided on Sunday, as Tiger Woods was five shots behind to win in 2000. Phil Mickelson had to play two holes on Monday morning to win in 2019 and Dustin Johnson was declared 54th. Hole winner in 2009, final round cannot be played on Monday.

Wind was expected later in the day, which was one of the reasons for pushing the start time by an hour. However, Pebble’s weather is rarely predictable.

He arrived about three hours into the round and was ferocious.

Mitchell hit on the sixth par-5 and went up the hill for 235 yards and went up to the green about 30 yards. This was followed by an 8-iron chip down the slope on a scenic par-3 on the seventh.

With the wind and their backs on the eighth, in which the second shot was over the corner of the ocean, Allen hit an iron 6 off the tee and then hit another iron 6 12 feet on the edge. Mitchell and Allen were six shots behind Rodgers.

Others found it hard to resist. Jordan Spieth thought he needed to be 3 or 4 short on the first stint in Pebble. The wind appeared on the fifth par-3, where Spit pulled him to the left into the bunker and made a ghost. He finished the front nine with a bogey and a double bogey for 39, leaving him on the cut line.

Mitchell had Pebble’s most difficult section in the wind, but was stiff throughout. Bramlett, who played golf at Stanford College, went 136 yards downwind at number 9 and hit 8 irons short of the green. On a par-5 on the 14th, with the wind at his back, he climbed the hill for 210 yards and hit the 8-iron over the green.

“It’s a guessing game,” Bramlett said. “We’re just doing our best.”

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