Null And Void? Women's Open Early Scores Vaporized When Wacky Weather Causes Second Round Reset

From an unbylined Guardian posting:

Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who played with Kerr and Hara, tweeted: "The sport we played this morning had nothing to do with golf. Right decision is made now."

The only sensible course of action was to bring the players in and delete the scores as if they never happened.

"The competitors began their round in extremely adverse weather and conditions worsened despite our belief that they would remain stable," Susan Simpson, the tournament director, said. "It would have been unfair to those competitors not to declare play null and void and cancel all scores for the round in question."

There were, inevitably, complaints that play should have been called off sooner but as things stand So Yeon Ryu, last year's US Women's Open champion, will resume as the joint leader with her fellow South Korean Haeji Kang. The English amateur Charley Hull is in a share of third place on one-under par.

Officials are hoping the final 36 holes can be played on Sunday, although much depends on how many players make the cut. If not, the tournament will spill into Monday.

And the official statement:

STATEMENT FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP COMMITTEE

Issued 14th September @ 1700hrs
 
Having lost a whole day’s play on Friday, the Championship Committee met to review the format for the remainder of the Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship with the primary objective of retaining the 72 hole format of the event.  With weather conditions for Monday predicted to be similar to Friday (today) the Championship Committee has decided the following;
 
· Round Two will be played on Saturday to completion and a cut will be made in accordance with the amended condition published below. The cut will be reduced from 65 plus ties to 50 plus ties, including amateurs.

Is that a first? Changing the number of players who can make the cut mid-tournament?

· Rounds 3 & 4 will be played on Sunday, with no redraw after Round 3. A two tee start will be utilised.
 
· Prize money will be paid as normal to those players who make the cut. In addition, official prize money will be paid to those who would have normally made the cut under the original conditions of play.
 
REFERENCES
 
REGULATION (F) OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP CONDITIONS
The Championship Committee reserves the right to amend the Championship Conditions and the decision of the Championship Committee shall, in all matters, be final.
 
AMENDMENT TO CONDITIONS OF PLAY
Original Condition 8(c)
One round of 18 holes shall be played on each of the first two days for which one draw shall be made. The players returning the 65 lowest scores and anyone tying for 65th place over the first 36 holes shall qualify for the final 36 holes over the last two days. For the final 36 holes, the pairings and starting times shall be determined in accordance with the qualifying scores, players with the lowest scores starting last.
 
Amended Condition 8(c)
One round of 18 holes shall be played on each of the first two days for which one draw shall be made. The players returning the 50 lowest scores and anyone tying for 50th place over the first 36 holes shall qualify for the final 36 holes over the last day. For the third round the pairings and starting times shall be determined in accordance with the qualifying scores with players with the lowest scores starting last. For the final round the pairings and starting times will be based upon the order of the third round draw (ie there will be no redraw in score order). A two tee start will be utilised for both the third and final rounds.