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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

The weather gods haven’t been very kind with Jay Monahan. The long ongoing weather struggle seems to have shadowed the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan this week, casting an air of persistent doubt on the initiation of the third round of the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. Will there be a further delay or even the much-dreaded round suspension? No one knows.

“There is a marginal risk of severe weather today,” flashes a weather forecast warning raising the tensions between the PGA Tour and its loyal (yet annoyed) fanbase. Sadly for the excited fans, the unprecedented delay is just getting longer. It started with an announcement of only an hour-long halt due to the inclement weather. However, as the situation continued to slip out of the PGA Tour’s hands, announcements of prolonged delay followed. It left the once-concerned fans anguished.

The second announcement came when the tour communications department announced an additional delay of 30 minutes. A third announcement of another delay of 30 minutes soon followed, making the first tee time two hours late to 12:48 p.m. ET. The statement read, “The start of the third round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic is delayed an additional 30 minutes. The first tee time is now scheduled for 12:48 p.m. ET”. What was initially just a 16-17% chance of precipitation has already cost the PGA Tour, its players, and fans, their most valuable asset, time.

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While fans initially tried to be supportive, their patience soon ran out as the delay was prolonged. It was evident in the trajectory of their reactions. Many fans seemed to be in consensus to remind the PGA Tour of its long-going weather troubles’ remorse impact on its fan base. While a share of fans used sarcasm to convey their point, others resorted to more direct methods of communicating their emotions. So what did the fans exactly have to say?

Troubled with “inclement weather” induced delays in Detroit, fans lash out on the PGA Tour

“No shot they start then lol,” wrote a perceptive fan shortly after the PGA Tour Communication handle first issued the tee times for the third round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The penultimate round was initially set out to start at 10:48 a.m. ET with Ben Silverman, Vince Whaley, and Justin Lower’s group starting foremost from tee 1. However, as the farsighted and experienced fan predicted, the tour’s hopes to have an early start have now become impossible.

“Thank you and be safe. We need you!” wrote a more optimistic and empathetic fan wishing the players the very best of health initially when the news of a weather impediment broke out. However, the other fans didn’t echo similar sentiments as time made matters worse.

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Sarcasm became the only resort of golf lovers with little to no control over the worsening situation. One fan even wrote, “There goes my day….Wonderful,” highlighting how there seems to be no end to this progressing delay.

Another fan found solace in a similar harmony and mocked the PGA Tour by giving it a newfound alias of a “clown” Tour. They wrote, “What else is new on the clown Tour,” highlighting how this is not the first time weather has delayed their enjoyment of a PGA Tour event, and how the problem goes unaddressed in the tour’s planning.

Surprise, shock, and anger seemed to go hand in hand as matters progressed to a worsening situation, causing delay after delay. A fan quickly expressed his emotions and wrote, “Bummer”. 

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The PGA Tour has triggered the fans and it’s safe to say if the weather continues to get the event further delayed, or worse, suspended mid-way, fans will not be as understanding as the tour would like.

Do you think matters will get further worse at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic’s venue? Or will this be the end of the long wait? Let us know in the comments below.