Los Angeles (AFP) – LPGA officials reduced the storm-hit Texas Classic to a 36-hole event Friday after a second day of storms and showers swamped Old American Golf Club near Dallas.
A storm with rain, lightning and extreme winds wiped out Thursday’s scheduled opening round, with scores erased from the 69 minutes of play that were managed in difficult conditions.
Friday’s scheduled morning start was pushed back more than eight hours by heavy rain and storms early that forced workers to clear standing water off the course.
Ticketholders were told to stay home Friday, the tournament closing its gates to spectators for the day out of safety concerns due to wet conditions in parking fields and viewing areas around the layout.
Tickets for the first two days would be good for the weekend, when sunny and warm conditions was forecast.
Early morning fog was predicted for Saturday, which combined with Friday’s delays prompted organizers to trim the event to 36 holes, vowing to play into Monday if needed to decide a winner.
Japan’s Haru Nomura is not defending her title after outlasting American Cristie Kerr to win last year on the sixth playoff hole.
But the sixth edition of the event features New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, a winner last week in San Francisco; Canada’s Brooke Henderson, who won last month in Hawaii, and Thai sisters Moriya and Ariya Jutanugarn. Ariya ranks sixth in the world and Moriya won two weeks ago at Los Angeles.
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