The waiting game continued on Friday at Old American Golf Club as the Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic was delayed due to storms in the morning. Rain continued through the morning and into the early afternoon forcing officials to suspend play until 3:30 p.m.
Officials determined that due to the cancellation on Thursday, the long delay on Friday and fog in the forecast on Saturday morning that the tournament would be reduced to 36 holes.
The goal is to still complete the 36 holes by Sunday night.
The first-round was suspended due to darkness at 8:15 p.m. on Friday night. Only four groups finished round one, which will resume on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Round two will start on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. If round two is not completed by dark on Sunday, the tournament will extend into Monday.
World No. 5 Sung Hyun Park, who started on hole 10, made five birdies on her outward nine and seven total in the 14 holes she completed. It’s been a bit of a topsy-turvy season thus far for the co-Player of the Year in 2017. She has just one top 10 in seven starts and has two missed cuts. In a 36-hole shootout, Park is off to a great start.
Jenny Shin, who won in Texas in 2016, and Sei Young Kim are two shots back of Park. Both have yet to complete round one. There are four players at 3-under.
Celine Boutier, a 2017 Epson Tour graduate, was out in the first group and is the clubhouse leader at 1-under.
“I needed a couple of holes to warm up so I didn’t start the best,” said Boutier, who started with two bogeys on her first three holes. “I was pretty steady all day after so a good round.”
Boutier arrived at the course early and had breakfast. After getting the notification that the round was delayed, she went back to her housing and slept for three hours.
“Once I came back, I just waited around because the emails were coming every half hour or hour,” said Boutier. “It was just a really long and tiring day.”
Katelyn Sepmoree of Tyler, Texas played with Boutier and finished at even-par.
“I was lucky because I had family in town so I was able to hang out with them,” said Sepmoree about passing the time during the delays. “I got here (Old American Golf Club) early today and then went back to the hotel to sleep. I just tried to stay patient.”
Sepmoree, who played college golf at the University of Texas and is making her second career LPGA start, gave credit to the staff for getting the course in shape to play.
“We all want to play golf and the staff did a really great job of getting us out there today and we were lucky to finish.”
The shot of Friday belonged to Emily Pedersen, who played 17 holes and is 2-under. She holed out for eagle on the tenth, her first of the tournament.
“I had about 160 to the pin, uphill and we had been waiting all day so I just wanted to get it back there,” explained Pedersen. “It was a great way to start because honestly I was a little bit exhausted and that got me going and motivated.”
)
)
)
)
