Storms push U.S. Women’s Open finish to today.
HOUSTON — Play in the 75th U.S. Women’s Open was suspended shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday because ongoing heavy rains had rendered the course virtually unplayable, making a Monday finish necessary.
Conditions figure to be a different kind of difficult, though, even if things dry out. Gusty north winds and temperatures in the 50s are forecast. The first players, in the third-from-final group, will tee off just after 8 a.m.
John Bodenhamer, who serves as the senior managing director of championships for the USGA, had told the Golf Channel midmorning the weather system that moved through the area dropped about a third of an inch of rain on Champions Golf Club’s Cypress Creek Course — and, more dangerously, there was lightning — but he expressed optimism that play could be completed because the new putting greens, expressly redone for the tournament, were draining well.
Unfortunately, another series of strong squalls followed, ultimately dumping almost threequarters of an inch on grounds that were still soggy from heavy rains Friday. So that was that.
“We want to ensure course conditions are worthy of crowning a major champion,” Bodenhamer explained.
Japan’s Hinako Shibuno, who was 4 under par and leading the tournament through 54 holes, was among the 18 players who never got on the course. Included in that group, of course, were the three who are remain three strokes behind her. The firstround front-runner, American Amy Olson, is at 3 under, with Ji Yeong Kim2 of South Korea, second in the world rankings, and Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand another shot to the rear.
Olson is coping with heartache over the sudden death of
her father-in-law in North Dakota. The LPGA Tour confirmed to Golfweek on Olson’s behalf that Lee Olson died Sunday night. Olson’s husband, Grant, is the linebackers coach at North Dakota State. He had flown into Houston this weekend to watch his wife compete.
Four more players are next at even par, including the lone amateur Kaitlyn Papp, the University of Texas star, and Korean Yealimi Ko, who would become the tournament’s youngest champion ever at 19 years, 4 months, 18 days if she somehow claims the $1 million winner’s check.
If not for three back-nine bogeys Saturday, the Korean-American from San Francisco would be making those around her very
nervous. A run of three consecutive birdies at the end of her front nine had, to be sure, claimed their attention.
Jutanugarn’s younger sister, Ariya, the Open’s 2018 champion and a former world No. 1, had birdied No. 1 before being forced to flee for cover in the clubhouse. She’s now at even par. The siblings teed off together Saturday, with Moriya staying in striking range with a 1-over 72 to land a spot in the final threesome with Shibuno and Olson, who’s trying to become the first American to earn a first LPGA Tour event championship at the Open since Hilary Lunke in 2003.
Although Ariya’s 74 removed her from realistic contention, she clearly hasn’t surrendered.
Korean Jin Young Ko, the world’s top-ranked player, is in a group of six at 1 over. She also never teed off, for which she was probably thankful. It was a great day for ducks, not golfers. However, a couple of the players who did get to swing their clubs competitively were no doubt saddened to see the proceedings come to a sudden, soppy end because they were singing in the rain.
The hottest player out when the storm began was another wunderkind, Gabriela Ruffels. After bogeying her first hole — 10 — the 20-year-old New Zealander birdied three of the next four to get to 2 under on the day. But still a cumulative 4 over, she’s playing for fun. Ditto Seon Woo Bae of Korea. She had found some solace, too, though, birdieing two of her four back-nine holes to also get to 4 over. Both stumbled to 76s Saturday.
Houston’s Stacy Lewis, whose bogey on No. 1 seemed a continuation of her disastrous thirdround finish, she steadied herself with birdies on the third and fifth holes to stand a cumulative 3 over before the players were told to head for the clubhouse ASAP.
After carding a 68 Friday, the 35-year-old former world No. 1 had gotten herself into the hunt for what would have been her first Open title and a third major. Lewis had admitted sleeping in her own bed and a lack of fans on the course because of COVID-19 pandemic precautions made this tournament “not necessarily feel like a U.S. Open,” adding, “I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in years past.”
Nonetheless, she staggered to a 40 on the back nine Saturday with two bogeys and a double in route to a dream-killing 77.
Another amateur, Linn Grant of Sweden, an Arizona State golfer who lurked near the top for the first two rounds before skying to a 78, also shaved a salving stroke off par with a birdie on her third hole.
For one player, Mother Nature’s unfortunate intervention no doubt brought back fond memories. South Korean So Yeon Ryu won the last Women’s Open — 2011 — that required a Monday conclusion, a messy tournament at the Broadmoor East Course in Colorado Springs that endured weather delays during all four rounds. But Ryu navigated the chaos better than her peers, defeating another Korean, Hee- kyung Seo, by a whopping three shots in what became the Open’s first three-hole aggregate playoff.
The now 30-year-old Ryu’s five holes Sunday, in contrast, proved uneventful. She made pars on each to stay at 5 over.