Published: Saturday September 15, 2012 MYT 5:03:00 PM
Storms put paid to British Open second round
HOYLAKE, United Kingdom: Severe winds wiped out the second round of the Women's British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club here on Friday.
Play started at 7am local time in the final major of the season but was stopped at 8.18am as winds reached gusts of 60mph and balls moved on several greens.
At 11am it was decided, in accordance with Rule 33-2d, that the early day's play should be declared null and void. Three hours later it was decided to suspend play for the day.
South Korea's Ryu So-Yeon, joint overnight leader on two under par, was one of the early starters and she had played one hole, taking a bogey six at the long 10th, her first hole.
But the rule decision means she is now back tied at the top with another South Korean, Haeji Kang.
Michelle Wie of the United States was out in the second group at 7.10am and managed to play three holes before the suspension.
"It's been a long day," said the American Solheim Cup player, who finished third in the Women's British Open as a 15-year-old in 2005.
"When I arrived at the course at 5am it was raining sideways. I've never seen anything like it."
"It was fairly sheltered by the tents when we set off but by the time we got to the 12th it was clearly unplayable," added Wie, who started her round at the 10th.
"The ball would barely stay on the tee and they were moving all over the greens. When you have to call a rules official six times on a green then you know it's bad.
"I'm so tall I felt like a flagpole. I thought I might fall over when I tried to hit the ball and it was definitely the right call."
For Susan Simpson, the Ladies' Golf Union's Head of Operations, the goal is still to complete 72 holes by Sunday evening. And she defended the decision to start play in the morning.
"The course was playable when we started but then the wind rose and play was not possible on the holes close to the sea," she said.
"Extending play until Monday is an option but we would obviously far prefer to finish on Sunday." -AFP
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