Wind damage closes Bob Hope Square during Humana C...: A part of the Humana tent collapses in Bob Hope Square after play was suspended in the Humana Challenge due to dangerously high winds.
Water is pushed out of the lake at the 18th green on the Nicklaus Private Course as gusty winds hit the area. / Michael Snyder/The Desert Sun
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Two years ago, when heavy rains overnight flooded the courses and wiped out the entire second day of the Bob Hope Classic, most people figured they had seen the worst day of weather in the history of the event. Or the worst day they would ever see.
Now we have a strong contender for that title in the wild, damaging and unpredictable winds that shut down the Humana Challenge in partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation.
The word for the day seemed to be “microburst.” Officially, a microburst is a small, very intense downdraft that descends to the ground resulting in a strong wind divergence. On Saturday, microbursts that felt like small tornadoes ripped through the three courses of the Humana Challenge. Trees and scoreboards were knocked over with ease. Fans who at first didn't seem to understand why play was suspended soon knew the reason why.
Some time before the winds hit the courses just after noon, there had been a pretty interesting golf tournament being played. Mark Wilson had broken out of a tie for the lead to forge a three-shot cushion. Robert Garrigus was threatening to shoot a 59 on the Nicklaus Private Course at PGA West. Former President Bill Clinton was playing golf and shaking hands and enjoying his duties as the face of the tournament. Fans who had been concerned about rain early in the day were shedding sweaters as the sun beat down on the valley.
Within two hours, everything changed, leaving players shaking their heads at the speed of the deterioration of the weather and fans quickly shuffling out to their cars.
Officially, the tournament hasn't lost a day to weather yet this year. That has happened only three times, in 1978, 1980 and 2010, and all three of those lost days were related to rain.
But just as the tournament had to scramble to get the 2010 event played to 90 holes by dropping amateur play one round and playing on Monday, officials have had to make hard decisions to complete the streamlined 72-hole format of the event today.
Again, the amateurs will take the brunt of that decision, with their third rounds now canceled.
Instead, it will be pros completing the third round this morning, a cut will be made, pairings will be made and players will be hustled out for a fourth round. With darkness likely to stop play just a few minutes after 5 p.m., getting the fourth round played entirely will test the tour staff's organizational skills and the tour players' willingness to speed things up a bit.
Remember, last year with a normal final day, a playoff forced two extra holes. They might have been able to play a third hole. Fortunately, they didn't have to because Jhonattan Vegas made a winning par on the second hole.
Yes, if everything runs like clockwork, we might see a winner handed the Bob Hope Trophy today. But whether the trophy is handed out today or Monday, the moment will just add to what has been a historic year. A new sponsor. A new relationship with Bill Clinton. And maybe a new all-time worst day of weather at the event.
