HEAVY RAIN LEAVING the course unplayable has wiped out the final two rounds of the LPGA NW Arkansas Championship, making it an unofficial event, the tour announced on Sunday.
The event’s cancellation came with Leona Maguire in a tie for second place, just one shot off the lead.
Only scores from Friday’s opening round of the 54-hole event will be counted and no season points will be awarded from the tournament at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas.
Japan’s Minami Katsu and American Sarah Schmelzel shared the 18-hole lead on eight-under par 63 with South Korean Lee So-mi, Maguire, Americans Alison Lee and Lilia Vu and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka sharing third on 64.
The LPGA said in a statement 3.25 inches of rain fell overnight from Saturday to Sunday after stormy conditions allowed only 45 minutes of play on Saturday.
The course was declared unplayable after consultations with the tour meteorologist and course superintendent and weather forecasts through Tuesday left little hope that even 36 holes could be completed in that span to make it an official event.
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“As a result, the decision has been made to cancel the remainder of the tournament,” the LPGA said.
Tournament sponsors have agreed to pay more than required to players in a cancel situation and ensured every played “receives compensation regardless of where they stand on the leaderboard after 18 holes,” the LPGA said.
The LPGA next tees off in Hawaii in two weeks before an Asia swing with events in Shanghai, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.
Elsewhere on the men’s DP World Tour, Michael Kim birdied the 16th and 17th and then sunk a clutch putt on Sunday to edge Elvis Smylie and Ko Jeong-Weon by a shot at the Open de France.
Kim, a 32-year-old American, pulled ahead at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche near Paris with his two late birdies.
He found a bunker on the last but chipped onto the green and holed from five metres to save par.
That sealed Kim’s long-awaited win and deprived the home crowd of the chance of seeing Frenchman Ko in a playoff.
Kim started the day one shot off joint third-round leaders Brooks Koepka and Min-Woo Lee with Ko and Smylie one further back.
Ko eagled the 17th and then headed into the club house tied for the lead with Smiley after both shot 65s.
Neither the former world number one Koepka nor Lee could respond to that closing spurt.
The American went out in four under but came home in one over par, for a 68. Australian Lee had three bogeys on the back nine for a 69.
Kim picked up two strokes on the last three and held his nerve on his way to a 65 and a 16-under four-round total. It was enough for his first European title and his first anywhere in seven years.
“It feels amazing. I haven’t won a tournament since 2018 at the John Deere Classic,” he said.
“I’ve had a really good year on the PGA Tour this year. This feels like the perfect cherry on top and I hope to continue this throughout my career.”
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Maguire's good start in Arkansas ruined as weather forces cancellation
HEAVY RAIN LEAVING the course unplayable has wiped out the final two rounds of the LPGA NW Arkansas Championship, making it an unofficial event, the tour announced on Sunday.
The event’s cancellation came with Leona Maguire in a tie for second place, just one shot off the lead.
Only scores from Friday’s opening round of the 54-hole event will be counted and no season points will be awarded from the tournament at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas.
Japan’s Minami Katsu and American Sarah Schmelzel shared the 18-hole lead on eight-under par 63 with South Korean Lee So-mi, Maguire, Americans Alison Lee and Lilia Vu and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka sharing third on 64.
The LPGA said in a statement 3.25 inches of rain fell overnight from Saturday to Sunday after stormy conditions allowed only 45 minutes of play on Saturday.
The course was declared unplayable after consultations with the tour meteorologist and course superintendent and weather forecasts through Tuesday left little hope that even 36 holes could be completed in that span to make it an official event.
“As a result, the decision has been made to cancel the remainder of the tournament,” the LPGA said.
Tournament sponsors have agreed to pay more than required to players in a cancel situation and ensured every played “receives compensation regardless of where they stand on the leaderboard after 18 holes,” the LPGA said.
The LPGA next tees off in Hawaii in two weeks before an Asia swing with events in Shanghai, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.
Elsewhere on the men’s DP World Tour, Michael Kim birdied the 16th and 17th and then sunk a clutch putt on Sunday to edge Elvis Smylie and Ko Jeong-Weon by a shot at the Open de France.
Kim, a 32-year-old American, pulled ahead at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche near Paris with his two late birdies.
He found a bunker on the last but chipped onto the green and holed from five metres to save par.
That sealed Kim’s long-awaited win and deprived the home crowd of the chance of seeing Frenchman Ko in a playoff.
Kim started the day one shot off joint third-round leaders Brooks Koepka and Min-Woo Lee with Ko and Smylie one further back.
Ko eagled the 17th and then headed into the club house tied for the lead with Smiley after both shot 65s.
Neither the former world number one Koepka nor Lee could respond to that closing spurt.
The American went out in four under but came home in one over par, for a 68. Australian Lee had three bogeys on the back nine for a 69.
Kim picked up two strokes on the last three and held his nerve on his way to a 65 and a 16-under four-round total. It was enough for his first European title and his first anywhere in seven years.
“It feels amazing. I haven’t won a tournament since 2018 at the John Deere Classic,” he said.
“I’ve had a really good year on the PGA Tour this year. This feels like the perfect cherry on top and I hope to continue this throughout my career.”
– © AFP 2025
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