Thursday
Aug202009
A foggy day in Bellerive town
Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 11:10PM
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Writing from Town and Country, Mo.
Just when it looked as the 105th Western Open was running like clockwork, fog rolled into the grounds of Bellerive Country Club and brought play to a screeching halt.
The action started at 7 a.m. Saturday, and stopped at 7:29 a.m., just as the fourth groups of the day were about to tee off on the first and 10th holes in the second round. It's the first of two to be played on the day the retitled BMW Championship's schedule, pushed back a day by the deluge from the remnants of Hurricane Gustav, finally catches up to the original plan.
Play resumed at 9 a.m., but the 91-minute delay means it's unlikely every group will be able to play 36 holes. Sunset is 7:23 p.m., and it would be difficult to continue play much past 7:30 p.m.
The cloud ceiling fell in quickly. At 7 a.m., the 10th fairway was clearly visible from the tee. By 7:10 a.m., when Ben Curtis' group started, it was difficult to see his tee shot land. By 7:20 a.m., Jim Furyk couldn't see his tee ball past 150 yards. By 7:30 a.m., Ben Crane teed off, and then the word came that play would be suspended. Playing partners Kevin Streelman and D.J. Trahan teed off on the off-chance they would be able to see the green from the fairway, got to their balls, and found that the fog was settling in so thickly, the green disappeared.
Once play resumed, Crane bogeyed the par-4 hole, but Streelman and Trahan birdied both the 10th and the 11th. Camilo Villegas the leader at 5-under 65 through the first round, won't tee off until 10:20 a.m. His Round 3 tee time of 2:20 p.m. will be pushed back an undetermined amount of time, probably past 3:30 p.m.
Updates when events warrant and after the conclusion of the second round; a complete report after the day's play.
– Tim Cronin
Writing from Town and Country, Mo.
Just when it looked as the 105th Western Open was running like clockwork, fog rolled into the grounds of Bellerive Country Club and brought play to a screeching halt.
The action started at 7 a.m. Saturday, and stopped at 7:29 a.m., just as the fourth groups of the day were about to tee off on the first and 10th holes in the second round. It's the first of two to be played on the day the retitled BMW Championship's schedule, pushed back a day by the deluge from the remnants of Hurricane Gustav, finally catches up to the original plan.
Play resumed at 9 a.m., but the 91-minute delay means it's unlikely every group will be able to play 36 holes. Sunset is 7:23 p.m., and it would be difficult to continue play much past 7:30 p.m.
The cloud ceiling fell in quickly. At 7 a.m., the 10th fairway was clearly visible from the tee. By 7:10 a.m., when Ben Curtis' group started, it was difficult to see his tee shot land. By 7:20 a.m., Jim Furyk couldn't see his tee ball past 150 yards. By 7:30 a.m., Ben Crane teed off, and then the word came that play would be suspended. Playing partners Kevin Streelman and D.J. Trahan teed off on the off-chance they would be able to see the green from the fairway, got to their balls, and found that the fog was settling in so thickly, the green disappeared.
Once play resumed, Crane bogeyed the par-4 hole, but Streelman and Trahan birdied both the 10th and the 11th. Camilo Villegas the leader at 5-under 65 through the first round, won't tee off until 10:20 a.m. His Round 3 tee time of 2:20 p.m. will be pushed back an undetermined amount of time, probably past 3:30 p.m.
Updates when events warrant and after the conclusion of the second round; a complete report after the day's play.
– Tim Cronin
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