“It was a tough call. Not a good day to be a rules official.”

Both reports out of the NCAA Women's Championship imply that the round called Wednesday due to high winds should not have been called. Beth Ann Baldry at Golfweek writes:

Play was suspended for the first time at 1:10 p.m. May 21, just as the morning wave began to finish. Southern California and UCLA managed to wrap things up and post an 8-over 584 total. Of the teams that finished, Denver posted the day’s lowest round, 6-over 294, and trails by three.

After an initial two-hour, 10-minute delay, teams were sent out to resume play. Officials hoped for a weather lull but instead found even stronger wind gusts.

“I thought it was calmer before they called it off the first time,” said Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst, who was 3 under through 14 holes. When she returned to finish her round, Blumenherst three-putted twice to post 1-under 71.

And...

Many coaches were stunned to hear the horn blow the first time. Rules officials saw “ball movement on four different greens,” though no penalties were assessed. Tina Krah, NCAA director of championships, said conditions weren’t dangerous but felt that players were in an “unfair situation.”

“Our intent is to not wait until there are penalties,” Krah said. “Our intent is to protect them from penalties.”

As coaches and players gathered around the UNM clubhouse, many said they never saw the wind blow one ball. Tulsa coach Randy Keck called the decision “one of the worst he’s ever seen.”

At the Conference USA Championship in El Paso, Keck said “the dirt was so thick in the air you couldn’t see the ball.” Tulsa not only finished, they won.

Purdue coach Devon Brouse also oversees the men’s program in West Lafayette, Ind. He counted at least three tournaments this year where the men played in tougher winds.

“I don’t see this as a dangerous situation,” Brouse said. “You have the Rules of Golf to cover balls moving on the greens.”

Ryan Herrington got the same reaction from coaches and also noted that the possibility of a Saturday finish now exists.