McDowell and Havret lead in Italy
MILAN, Italy -- Britain's Graeme McDowell and Frenchman Gregory Havret will take a one-stroke lead into the final stages of the weather-affected Italian Open when it is completed on Monday.
Just before the players were brought in because of failing light late on Sunday, McDowell holed a 10 foot birdie putt on the short 14th in the third and final round, to join Havret, who has two holes to go, on 18-under-par.
Another Frenchman, Thomas Levet, was 17-under through 14.
It is the first time a European Tour event has spilled over to a fifth day since Briton Paul Lawrie won the 2001 Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland on a Monday.
Heavy rain and lightning continued to cause havoc at the event, which had already been reduced to a 54-hole contest, with a three-hour suspension for poor weather and the mopping up operation that followed it.
Havret chipped in for eagle on the long 15th, his second eagle of the round, and then opted to finish the 16th as the field headed for the clubhouse.
It increases France's chances of back to back victories after Christian Cevaer's win in last week's Canaries Spanish Open.
The second round had only been completed on Sunday morning because of the delays and suspensions and the loss of a whole day's play on Friday.
The leader after the second round was Argentine Angel Cabrera but by the end of play he lay three off the pace. He has four holes to go like his playing-partner McDowell.
It was Cabrera who made the most of the return following the three-hour delay, holing a birdie putt to share the lead with McDowell, who missed his 12ft birdie putt.
But the Argentine then found the lake at the long 12th to drop off the pace.
Joint-leader McDowell, with six birdies on his card, was frustrated by his return to the soaking course but in the end finished in a happier frame of mind.
"I left my putts short on the ninth, 10th and 11th but the birdie on the 14th gave me something good to sleep on," said McDowell, looking for a second victory after winning the 2002 Scandinavian Masters in only his fourth event.
Co-leader Havret was delighted that his chip-in eagle gave him a chance of his second win in the event in four years
"The tournament's been good to me and so was the 15th," he said.
Briton Alastair Forsyth and South African Martin Maritz, both with two holes to go, share fifth place four strokes off the lead.
