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Friday, Oct. 29
PGA Tour to take Friday off for Stewart memorial
Associated Press

HOUSTON -- Competition in two PGA Tour events will be postponed Friday because of a memorial service for Payne Stewart, the U.S. Open champion killed Monday in a plane crash.

The Tour Championship in Houston, a $5 million event for the top 30 players on the money list, will start Thursday with 27 holes. Another 27 holes will be played on Saturday, with the an 18-hole final round on Sunday.

The Tour Championship needs to end by Sunday because of travel plans. The entire field is eligible for the World Golf Championship event next week in Spain.

The Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Madison, Miss., will be reduced to a 54-hole event. Rounds will be played Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. A charter flight is being arranged for players in the tournament who want to attend that service in Orlando, Fla.

Tournament officials had originally planned to extend to the tournament to Monday, but decided later against that because of several factors, including the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying that begins Tuesday at four different sites and the World Golf Championships next week in Spain.

The tour said the Senior Tour event in Los Angeles will retain its normal Friday-Sunday schedule.

Stewart's memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in Orlando.

Brief services are planned at both PGA Tour stops -- at 7:45 a.m. Thursday on the No. 1 tee at Champions Golf Club in Houston, and a private service at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Jackson, Miss.


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