The third round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championship was canceled with approximately 60% of the 151-player field ending up in play.
the reason? An unplayable pit.
While severe weather set in and play was halted late Thursday afternoon, it wasn’t rain or lightning that prompted the decision. Instead, it was because of the hole position that was, as determined by the NCAA, too extreme to play.
The hole in question was the 308-yard, 6th par par 4, at the Mission Inn and Resort’s El Campeon Course in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. According to the instructors, the hole was cut on a 5-percent slope on the right side of the green—and later in the day the course crew watered the surface of the gutting in an effort to smooth out the slope.
It didn’t help much. ET, the NCAA Women’s Division III Golf Commission finalized the decision to move the tournament back to 36 holes, and with more thunderstorms in the forecast Friday afternoon, shortened the event to 54 holes.
“Throughout Thursday’s third round, despite efforts to improve conditions, it became apparent that the pin placement in the No. 6 hole…was unplayable,” the commission said in a statement provided to GolfChannel.com. “After play was suspended due to lightning late Thursday afternoon, the committee analyzed many different options on how to complete the tournament on time.”
Numerous videos of players entering the hole have been shared with GolfChannel.com, showing putts from 10 to 20 feet from the bottom of the hole either stopping away from the cup or rolling, but all losing momentum and essentially returning to the players feet.
The NCAA is responsible for putting nails in every round, not the course.
Also, this is the eighth time this championship has been contested at the Mission Inn.
“They should have known not to get laid [the hole] There were also four questionable drilling sites in the first round on Tuesday, said one of the coaches. “They just said they were sorry and felt bad.”
Golfstat’s live scoring page, which has since erased third round stats, showed the sixth playing more than a shot and a half, by far the hardest on the golf course, with 29 other players (triple bogey or worse) and somehow five birdies .
“I saw two sparrows,” added the same trainer. “One could have gone 25 yards from the green if he hadn’t entered.”
Before the results of the third round were voided, Claremont Maud Scripps scored four scores of 79 or better for a two-shot putt on the 36-hole George Fox University. Instead, 45-year-old George Fox will maintain his five-shot lead going into the final round on Friday. Emory had closed a gap between himself and George Fox by seven thanks to his starring role so far, 17 for 309, but he will now return to a 10-run deficit.
A cut was also made in the top 15, with 14 other teams eliminated from the competition based on their 36-hole scores. The committee also elected to advance six additional individuals who are not on advanced teams, 12 players total, to the final round, which will begin Friday at 8 a.m. ET.
One coach told GolfChannel.com that the coaches may have been divided over the NCAA’s decision to cancel the Tour, but he personally felt this was the right call.
“I think so. It was ridiculous,” the instructor said of the sixth hole.
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