ARMCHAIR GOLF is in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, for the Puerto Rico Open.SKIP KENDALL IS A SHORT hitter on a long, waterlogged golf course, but it didn’t hinder him in the first round of the Puerto Rico Open. Kendall posted a 65 in a round that took 48 hours to complete due to weather delays caused by more than six inches of rain at Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Kendall’s round began at 7:06 a.m. on Thursday. He played one hole, the 10th, holing a 7-iron from 159 yards for an eagle before the downpour halted play. About 24 hours later, Kendall played one more hole and made birdie. Again, play was suspended. At that rate, it would take more than two weeks to complete 18 holes. Skip took the weather delay in stride.
“We’ve been through this drill enough to realize you can’t control the weather,” Kendall said on Friday. “So you just have to deal with it the best you can here.”
Ranked 121st in driving distance on the PGA Tour, Kendall faced a wet Trump International layout that at over 7,500 yards is one of the longest tracks on tour. So far, the veteran has been able to keep up and was pleasantly surprised by the course setup and conditions when play resumed at 4:35 p.m. on Friday.
“Some of the tees were put forward a little bit, so that obviously helps someone like me. And it really wasn’t overly long at all.”
Kendall’s best finish this season is a tie for fourth at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. He has won three times on the Nationwide Tour.
With the first round still in progress on Saturday, a Monday or Tuesday tournament finish is probable. The Trump International course record in tournament play is 64, which could fall this week since tournament officials have allowed preferred lies due to the soggy conditions.
–The Armchair Golfer
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