Play halted for day at wind-whipped Kapalua

MAUI, Hawaii (AFP) –

L-R: Kapalua golf consultant Gary Planos, Chief of Operations for the PGA Andy Padzer, PGA Tour rules official Jon Brendle and rules official Slugger White stand on the 10th hole green as the test the effects of the high winds with some golf balls before the replay of the first round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course on January 6, 2013 in Kapalua, Hawaii.

The US PGA Tour just can’t get 2013 started, with play suspended for a third straight day on Sunday at the season-opening Tournament of Champions because of high winds.

Organizers had hoped to get at least one round in Sunday, even after a four-hour delay.

But the players who teed off at Kapalua had to cope with gusts that blew balls off tees and greens, finally prompting officials to call a halt.

After weather disrupted play in the scheduled opening round on Friday and cancelled all action on Saturday, organizers of the event had planned to start fresh with two rounds on Sunday and finish a tournament reduced to 54 holes on Monday.

Thanks to Sunday’s delayed start they shifted that plan to 18 holes Sunday and 36 on Monday.

Now, weather permitting, the tournament will start afresh on Monday, the day it was originally scheduled to conclude. Officials hope to play 36 holes on Monday and complete the tournament with 18 holes on Tuesday.

“We couldn’t even get a ball to come to rest on the 12th green,” Slugger White, PGA Tour Vice President of Rules and Competition, said. “It’s unfortunate but it just started off bad and got worse.”