Final round to resume at 5:15 p.m. ET at THE PLAYERS Championship
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Written by Staff
Update, 4:25 p.m. ET: The final round will resume at 5:15 p.m. Practice facilities have opened for players. Sunset in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is projected at 7:34 p.m.
Update, 1:15 p.m. ET: Final-round play was suspended at 1:15 p.m. due to inclement weather in the area.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Due to forecasted inclement weather on Sunday, final-round tee times for THE PLAYERS Championship will run from 8-10:01 a.m. ET in threesomes off Nos. 1 and 10.
A significant cold front is expected to reach Northeast Florida on Sunday afternoon, bringing possible severe storms and heavy winds. The storms are forecasted to arrive between 2-4 p.m. Sunday, according to Stephen Cox, vice president of rules and tournament administration.
“We’ve been reviewing this weather for three or four days and unfortunately it’s held its pattern and it looks like this line of storms are going to be quite intense,” Cox said.
The storm has wreaked havoc across much of the central and southeast U.S., producing heavy rains, flash flooding, severe tornadoes and sparking wildfires in recent days. As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, at least 20 people had died across Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, according to NBC News. The storms left hundreds of thousands without power.
Tee times were adjusted in the hope of avoiding a Monday finish. THE PLAYERS’ last Monday finish was three years ago. Sunset is expected just after 7:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, leaving extra time in case play is delayed.
“Obviously our preferred desire is to have one tee in two(somes) and this is the awkward balance that we face,” Cox said. “If we do roll the dice, as they say, and try and play off one tee in two(somes) we could easily find ourselves in a Monday finish.”
Cox said the strong wind gusts that kicked up Saturday afternoon will be present from the start of play Sunday morning. The Rules Committee slowed the greens down ahead of the third round and they will maintain those conditions for Sunday’s final round.
“This strategy gives ourselves the best possible chance of completing the championship on Sunday,” Cox said.