Horrible Weather Ruins Puerto Rico Open Day 1; Play Suspended After Heavy Rain Forced Massive Delay

Bad weather strikes the PGA Tour again! At first, the turbulent weather conditions resulted in the conclusion of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with only three rounds, which saw Wyndham Clark take the trophy home. The unruly weather followed the men’s circuit to the Arizonian greens at the WM Phoenix Open as well. Now it looks like it’s the Puerto Rico Open that has become the next weather victim.

The unpredictable weather conditions have caused repeated interruptions and delays since the start of the first round of the tournament. Which eventually led to the suspension of the round, Even though the rain has caused massive disruption in the schedule, the PGA Tour has been keeping fans updated on the schedule of the event.

Puerto Rico Open Interrupted by Inclement Weather

At first, the PGA Tour, through their official X handle, @PGATOURComms (formerly known as Twitter), reported on the worsening weather conditions, which prompted officials to evacuate the players from the course for safety reasons. The tweet stated, “With weather at the Puerto Rico Open taking a turn for the worse, players are now being removed from the course to seek shelter during the delay (began at 2:42pm local time).”

Things started to look up at the Grand Reserve Country Club. The news of the resumption of the first round after a delay of roughly two hours was shared on the official X handle. The announcement stated, “Round one of the Puerto Rico Open resumed at 4:37pm following a delay of 1 hour, 55 minutes (2:42pm).” 

The news must have come as a relief for golfers and fans alike. However, the happiness was short-lived; the golfers did not get the opportunity to resume their play as darkness halted the round once again. Finally, the round got suspended for the day at 6:30 pm and has been rescheduled for Friday at 7:20 am (European time).

With the first round yet to be finished, Scott Piercy showcased remarkable resilience, even though he carded three bogeys. The PGA Tour pro also scored eight birdies and an eagle on hole no. 14, propelling him to a stellar 7-under 65. Piercy’s performance was followed by an impressive fight back with a bogey-free 7-under 65 by PGA Tour rookie Joe Highsmith. The current leaderboard has both Piercy and Highsmith tied for the top position with a score of 7-under-65. Apart from the weather, the list of participants also saw some unexpected changes. 

The 2024 Puerto Rico Open field explored

Since 2008, the Puerto Rico Open has been an alternate event on the PGA Tour, initially linked to the WGC-Cadillac Championship and later the WGC-Dell Match Play. This year, it’s an alternate event of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 2024 Puerto Rico Open boasts a formidable lineup, including two-time DP world tour winner Robert MacIntyre, Danish golfer Rasmus Hojgaard, and Aaron Rai. However, the tournament also saw the abrupt withdrawal of a few golfers as well.Read more: 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

Just two days before the start of the event, the news of

Jimmy Walker and Greg Chalmers‘s withdrawal from the event was shared by the PGA Tour through their official X handle. The reason behind their sudden exit from the event was not disclosed. Despite the two WDs, the Puerto Rico greens managed to have a full field, with Derek Ernst and Derek Lamely taking the spots that were left vacant by the two golfers. Will weather conditions become the biggest obstacle for the tournament? Stay tuned to find out.Read more: 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Tee Times and Pairings for the PGA Tour’s Fourth Signature Event