Romero masters Monster before weather interrupts third round

"I played an excellent round," Romero said through his interpreter, Marcos Virasoro. "Almost perfect. Yesterday, I finished very mad with my round and now after this 18 holes, I can't believe it. I will have a chance for tomorrow. I have to wait, but it's great to be here."

He was at 2-over 212, and had no idea just how long he would have to wait to see where it stacked up.

The good news? He can get some rest. The third round was to resume at 7:15 a.m. Sunday with six players facing 36 holes, while Romero won't have to show up until noon and play only 18.

The last major champion to play 36 holes on the final day was Seve Ballesteros in the 1979 British Open, the last year that major played the final two rounds on a Saturday. Tiger Woods played 27 holes on Sunday when he won the rain-delayed Masters in 2005.

Romero was among 25 players from the 73-man field who completed their rounds Saturday.

Camilo Villegas of Colombia -- maybe they should call this course "El Monstro" this week -- was at 4 under for the day through 14 holes and was 2 over for the tournament. Another shot behind were Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand, who was 3 under for his round and in the bunker next to the 18th green; and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who also was 3 under for the day through 16 holes.

Steve Flesch was doing the best in his All-Lefty pairing with Phil Mickelson. Flesch, who had a chance at the Masters this year, rolled in a 20-foot putt and was 2 under for his round -- 1 over for the tournament -- through five holes.

Mickelson was at 3 over, but had an 8-foot eagle putt on No. 6 when play was stopped.

Sergio Garcia, still considered a big favorite as cleanly as he hits the ball, made par on the first hole and faces 35 more on Sunday.

"I guess the course is going to change quite a bit," Garcia said. "It's still going to be playing difficult, but probably not to the extreme it was playing the last couple of days."

Romero was amazed to even have a chance. After completing a 69 in the first round on Friday morning, he lost his composure later in the second round when his 8-iron to the 16th spun down a slope into the water, and his subsequent lob wedge from the drop area did the same thing. He wound up with a quadruple-bogey 8, and he lost his composure.

"I couldn't come back after that 8," Romero said. "I made a double bogey at the 18th because I was so mad. I was almost fighting for the lead, and suddenly I was trying to make the cut. So I was going mad the rest of the whole round."

During his blazing birdie run at Carnoustie, he made two double bogeys on the back nine and kept his cool. What was the difference?

"Those were bad shots," he said.

As he was discussing his birdies and bogeys, this is how Romero described losing a shot on the par-3 third Saturday.

"The approach wasn't that good," he said. "But I didn't get mad. That was good."

Rain began pelting the press tent as he spoke, causing him to look up and smile. Someone asked if the thunder was a sign that the golfing gods were angry at someone shooting 65 on The Monster.

Romero simply smiled and walked back to the clubhouse for lunch.