ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The second round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship was suspended with 12 teams still on the course including the 18th-ranked LSU Lady Tigers who had completed as a team just one hole of their round at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course.
The stoppage at 4:55 p.m. MDT came just 90 minutes after the tournament was restarted after a two-hour delay that came just as LSU’s first player, Caroline Martens, was stepping on to the first tee to begin her second round at 1:10 p.m. MDT. At that point, balls were rolling from standing positions because of the wind on four greens with winds that at that time were registering between 38 and 53 MPG. The local airport, situated just across the street from the course also shut down all takeoffs and landings about the same time and did not resume flights until right before play resumed.
When play resumed, the winds were basically no different than they were at the time of the first interruption as holes that players did play took long extra minutes making it obvious the round would not finish on time anyway. LSU’s group on the second tee, a par three with a severely elevated tee, had to wait several minutes between players because of sand blowing on the tee from nearby sand fields.
Meanwhile on the fourth green, on the fifth green where Caroline Martens, LSU’s first player had reached, a ball rolled completely off the green after a Furman player had replaced it on the green. At the same time, other players were having similar issues on the course and Heidi Olson of the United States Golf Association ordered the horn blown to suspend play. There was also a report of some trees being blown over on the front nine as well at about the same time.
“We are done for the day,” the NCAA’s Tina Krah told the coaches in a meeting shortly thereafter in the media room. “We will restart the round at 7 a.m. (MDT) Thursday.”
Krah said that the NCAA Division I Golf Committee will make a decision later tonight as to the status of the tournament from this point forward. With some players having 17 holes to play, the chances of 24 teams getting in a third round on Thursday would be doubtful. The committee could institute a cut at some point, end the tournament after 54 holes or possibly extend into Saturday to get 72 holes completed.
“It was insane,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen about the play. “In all my almost 30 years I’ve never seen conditions quite like this. It’s good they finally suspended it, but the bad news is what we have done counts. That’s the hand we are dealt with. Hopefully this wind will lie down some because you just hate for a championship to come to something like this.”
LSU is nine-over at this point in the round with Alexis Rather and Caroline Martens at four-over through four holes, Rebecca Kuhn three-over through three, Amalie Valle plus one through two and Megan McChrystal plus-one through one. However, there is still obviously a tremendous amount of golf with time to recover.
The Lady Tigers are actually in 11th place in the tournament when play was called. Southern California and UCLA, who played in the less severe morning wave, are tied for the lead at eight over par 584. Denver is the only other top team finished at 11-over 587 and those three may be separated by a lot time things finish Thursday morning. Alabama is on the course at nine-over three holes deep, while Texas A&M is 11-over six holes deep.
Belen Mozo of Southern California is the individual leader at four-under par after a one-under round of 71. McChrystal presently at two-over par for the tournament is tied for 17th place.
The weather is expected to take an unusual turn temperature wise from the high 80s-low 90s to a predicted 57 degrees and southwest winds at 11 when play resumes at 7 a.m. The winds are expected to peak at 27 mph at noon before dropping below 20 in the afternoon. There is a 30 percent chance of rain and the high is expected to top out at 71.
NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships
Albuquerque, N. M.
Suspended Second Round Team Totals
1. Southern California +8 (F); 1. UCLA +8 (F); 3. Alabama +9 (3); 4. Texas A&M +11 (6); 4. Denver +11 (F); 6. Arkansas +14 (3); 6. Oklahoma State +14 (6); 8. Arizona State +15 (F); 9. South Carolina +19 (3); 9. Wake Forest +19 (6); 11. LSU +21 (1); 12. Duke +23 (F); 13. UC Davis +24 (1); 13. Georgia +24 (F); 13. Florida +24 (F); 16. Purdue +26 (F); 17. Virginia +27 (6); 17. Tulsa +27 (6); 19. Auburn +28 (F); 20. Texas +29 (6); 21. TCU +32 (F); 22. UNLV +35 (F); 23. Furman +36 (1); 24. Arizona +40 (F).