HOUSTON — The NCAA Tournament South Region final between ninth-seeded Iowa and third-seeded Illinois on Saturday experienced an extended delay when the horn stuck with 7:43 remaining in the first half and the Hawkeyes leading 22-20.

The delay lasted more than 10 minutes, and when the game resumed, the center-hung scoreboard was no longer operational.

The Iowa-Illinois winner will advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis next weekend.

–MK Bower, Field Level Media

Now it’s about finishing the task for Gary Woodland in the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

He shot 5-under-par 65 on Saturday to maintain the lead through three rounds as he seeks his first victory in nearly seven years in Houston.

“I’m here, I put myself in this position for a reason, so take a deep breath and maintain what I’m doing,” Woodland said.

Woodland is at 18-under despite his highest score of the tournament Saturday.

Hard-charging Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark posted the best round of the day with a 63, so he’s one stroke back going into Sunday’s final round at Memorial Park Golf Course.

“There’s still a lot of players in the field that can win the tournament,” Hojgaard said. “But, obviously, Gary and I have a good chance. I’m going to go out, try to build up the round like I did today.”

Hojgaard has never won on the PGA Tour in 62 previous tournaments. His last international tournament title came in 2023.

Woodland tied for second place in the tournament a year ago. The galleries have been supportive this week, and he has noticed.

“Crowd (has) been amazing,” Woodland said. “Energy was so good. Definitely helped me. Something I fed off of and hopefully that’s the same (Sunday).”

Woodland had four birdies on a six-hole stretch on the backside to maintain the lead. The last three of those birdies came with putts inside of 7 feet.

“Once I settled in, I hit some great shots on the back nine,” Woodland said. “It was a good fight, for sure.”

Hojgaard also was 4-under on that same six-hole stretch, with a 14-foot putt his longest birdie among those holes.

Both golfers had pars on No. 18.

“The course is playing into my strengths,” Hojgaard said. “Good driving length off the tee and approach play, and then I felt like I had good pace with the putter all day.”

Defending champion Min Woo Lee of Australia shot 67 to sit at 12-under, joined by Michael Thorbjornsen (66). Lee might be a long shot to make up enough ground, but he hasn’t dismissed that from happening.

“Just got to stick to the process and hopefully make a lot of birdies,” Lee said. “You’ll probably need help from them to come backwards. I think I’m in the final group, so I’ll have a nice show (Sunday).”

As one of the highlights from Saturday, Lee took a bunker shot on one knee on No. 17, rolling the ball close enough for a birdie putt.

“It wasn’t the most pleasing lie when I first got there,” Lee said. “It was nearly very unplayable because it was on such a steep hill. Luckily, I’m somewhat flexible and I can get low and, yeah, play that shot.”

Combined with the 16th hole, that gave Lee birdies on consecutive holes for the second time during the round.

Thorbjornsen said he has been encouraged by his play this week.

“I think we’re just trying to play smart golf, play to the numbers, just whatever will produce the best score on average,” Thorbjornsen said. “That’s kind of the strategy we’re going to take.”

Sam Stevens (67) and Australia’s Jason Day (68) are at 11-under.

First-round leader Paul Waring of England moved back into contention by shooting 66. He’s at 10-under with Sahith Theegala (66) and Canada’s Sudarshan Yellamaraju (65).

–Field Level Media

Rookie Owen Caissie drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Liam Hicks posted three RBIs as the host Miami Marlins rallied to defeat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.

Pete Fairbanks, acquired as an offseason free agent, earned his second save in two games for the Marlins.

Caissie, acquired in January from the Cubs as part of the package for Edward Cabrera, went 3-for-4 with a double, a steal and one RBI. Hicks had a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.

Colorado hit a pair of homers: a two-run shot by Ezequiel Tovar and TJ Rumfield’s solo blast. Rumfield’s homer was the first of his major-league career in just his second game.

Neither starting pitcher earned a decision, although Miami’s Eury Perez delivered a quality start by allowed three runs, five hits and one walk in seven innings. He struck out eight.

Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen allowed three runs, seven hits and no walks with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Calvin Faucher (1-0) earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief.

Jaden Hill (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings.

The Rockies opened the scoring in the second inning as Rumfield pulled a 98-mph fastball over the fence at right, a shot estimated at 423 feet.

Colorado somehow escaped a jam in the bottom of the second as Miami put runners on second and third with one out. Catcher Hunter Goodman saved a run with a stellar pitch block before Lorenzen struck out Griffin Conine. After a hit-by-pitch, Rumfield made a nice fielding play at first base to end the inning.

The Marlins tied the score 1-1 in the third as Xavier Edwards singled and went to third on Agustin Ramirez’s single. Edwards scored on Hicks’ sacrifice fly.

Colorado surged ahead in the fourth as Willi Castro singled, and Tovar blasted his 401-foot homer.

Miami tied the score again, this time in the fifth as Ramirez singled, and Hicks pulled a two-run homer to right to make it 3.

In the eighth, Otto Lopez singled, stole second and scored on Caissie’s single, giving the Marlins their second straight one-run win to start the season.

–Field Level Media