SAVANNAH, Ga., April 25 (UPI) -- A series of heavy thunderstorms rendered the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa unplayable Friday, forcing the suspension of the first round at the Legends of Golf with only two players having completed as many as nine holes.
Just 22 of the 53 players had completed a hole when the round was originally stopped at 9:13 a.m. EDT. After a delay of more than six hours, play was halted for the day at 3:35 p.m.
"The golf course is just too saturated with water for us to play any more golf today under the rules of golf," tournament director Bruce Sudderth said. "Unfortunately, after the thunderstorm that hit us at about 2 p.m., suspending for the day was our only option."
The first round will resume Saturday at 7:30 a.m. The players will regroup according to score and begin the second round on two tees at approximately 1:15 p.m.
Morris Hatalsky was leading at 2-under par through four holes when the round was postponed. Seven players were at 1-under, including Andy North.
Among those who never teed off and will have to play 36 holes Saturday were defending champion Doug Tewell, Bruce Lietzke, Larry Nelson, Jim Thorpe, Hale Irwin, Fuzzy Zoeller, Gil Morgan, Bruce Fleisher, Dana Quigley, Mark McCumber and Arnold Palmer.
The Legends of Golf spawned what is now known as the Champions Tour. The tournament started in 1978, and its purse of $400,000 was the largest in professional golf at the time.
