Tour moves from rain-soaked Saskatchewan to PEI

VERNON BRIDGE, Prince Edward Island, Canada—PGA TOUR Canada made historical past final week. For the primary time because the circuit started, in 2013, the Tour canceled a match due to the climate. Greater than 10 inches of rain fell over a 10-day interval making circumstances unplayable on the Elk Ridge Open in Saskatchewan.

On the similar time, it tightened up the Fortinet Cup race. The lack of the match represents a ten p.c discount in taking part in alternative, leaving simply eight remaining tournaments to solidify Fortinet Cup positions, earn a spot within the season-ending championship and a shot on the (Canadian) $25,000 bonus to the general factors chief.

“It’s going to make every thing extra jammed up,” stated Jake Knapp, who’s presently third within the Fortinet standings. “The extra occasions you play, the extra it’s going to get unfold out. Proper now, every thing’s so bunched up. After which clearly eliminating an occasion goes to bunch it up much more. So, each week is simply tremendous necessary.”

Wil Bateman, who received the ATB Traditional in Edmonton, leads the factors race with 531. Scott Stevens, winner of the season-opening Royal Seashore Victoria Open is second, with 500. Knapp has 329. He misplaced a playoff to Stevens within the first match.

Now, greater than 4,300 kilometers away, PGA TOUR Canada makes its subsequent cease, on the Prince Edward Island Open offered by IMP Options. The 72-hole match, which begins Thursday and concludes Sunday on the Dundarave Golf Course, carries a (Canadian) $200,000 purse. The winner earns $36,000 and 500 Fortinet Cup factors.

“It was positively an extended day of journey,” Stevens stated. “However I believe all people is sort of coping with the identical factor.”

This week, Stevens added, is nearly making an attempt to remain constructive.

Higher climate is within the forecast. There is a danger of thunderstorms on a few days, but nothing just like the rain that fell on the Elk Ridge Resort is predicted.

There was rain and plenty of it, sufficient to maintain gamers like Yi Cao and Knapp placing round—fairly actually—of their lodge rooms, hoping for a break within the climate.

“At that time, to be sincere, I didn’t need to be sitting in mattress or sitting on the sofa with out doing something,” stated Cao, who labored on his placing throughout the prolonged delay. “So, it was like preserve myself busy; that’s all.”

Cao, a 27-year-old from China who lives full time in Canada, additionally chatted along with his father whereas making an attempt to remain sharp.

Knapp, a 28-year-old former UCLA standout, labored on his placing, as effectively. He additionally used the time to get some relaxation.

“In conditions like that there’s not a complete lot you are able to do,” Knapp stated. “It’s a bummer. Any time with climate and stuff, it’s all out of your management, proper? So, there’s not so much you are able to do. You simply attempt to make one of the best of it and concentrate on the subsequent week.”

 The misplaced time included journey and preparation funding, and whereas all people not less than performed a little bit golf Thursday, solely 78 of the 156 golfers on the Elk Ridge Open had been in a position to full their first rounds final week.