The third round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championship was canceled with nearly 60 percent of the 151 players finished, but it was not due to the usual scapegoat of bad weather.
Though rainy and windy weather suspended play on Thursday afternoon, a deemed unplayable hole was guilty for the cancellation call.
The questionable hole was the 308-yard, par-4 sixth at Mission Inn and Resort’s El Campeon Course in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, and this was the eighth time that this championship has been contested at the Inn.
Videos spread on social media of the golfers attempting to make a successful putt while the ball rolls right back to the golfer’s feet in a boomerang-like fashion.
Golfstat’s live coverage recorded the sixth hole to be playing more than a shot-and-a-half over par with 29 golfers hitting a triple bogey or worse along with five odd birdie outliers.
The hole had apparently been cut on a 5% slope on the right side of the green, according to coaches, and course staff watered the putting green later on in the day in an effort to soften the distinct slope.
Yet, the NCAA Division III women’s golf committee called it, canceling the third round, reverting the championship back to 36-hole scores, and even shortening the event to 54 holes as more thunderstorms in the forecast threatened Friday afternoon’s scheduled play.
“Throughout Round 3 on Thursday, and despite efforts to improve conditions, it became apparent that the pin placement on hole No. 6 … was unplayable,” the committee said in statement provided to GolfChannel.com. “After play was suspended due to lightning late Thursday afternoon, the committee analyzed numerous different options on how to complete the tournament in the time allotted.”
The NCAA is responsible for placing the pins each round, not the course.
“They should’ve known not to put [the hole] there,” said one coach, who also believed there were four other questionable hole locations in Tuesday’s first round. “They just said they were sorry and they felt bad.”
“I saw two of the birdies,” added the same coach. “One would’ve gone 25 yards off the green if it didn’t go in.”
Another coach told Golf Channel that coaches were most likely split on the league’s decision to cancel the round, but he personally felt it was the right call.
“I think so,” the coach said while adding of the sixth hole: “It was ridiculous.”
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