Johannesburg, Feb 8  : American golfer Andrew Loupe has grabbed the lead at the rain-hit Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament after firing an eight-under par 63 at Monterey Peninsula on Thursday.

The US PGA Tour rookie was able to get into the clubhouse with a career-best round that gave him an unexpected two-stroke lead despite a delay of almost three hours when play was suspended because of standing water on some of the greens on the three courses in use for the first three rounds of the tournament.

According to Sport24, Loupe, who had only broken 70 once in 11 previous rounds on the US PGA Tour and has yet to make a cut in five prior starts this season, only secured his card with an equal sixth-place finish in the final event last season of the Web. com Tour's Finals series.

Meanwhile, Loupe's compatriot Jimmy Walker , who leads the tour's Fed Ex Cup playoff standings, was among five players, including Australians Stuart Appleby and Scott Gardiner and Americans Jim Renner and Richard H. Lee, tied for second on six-under par.

The report mentioned that forty players, including four-time tournament winner Phil Mickelson, failed to finish and were to return early Friday to complete their rounds. (ANI)