Anyone who believes that golf is a glamour job wasn’t at the Volunteers of America (VoA) LPGA Texas Classic at the Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas this week.
The tournament had all the makings of a broadcaster’s dream. A new venue—a Links-style course, designed by Tripp Davis and Justin Leonard, on the scenic shores of a local lake. A formidable field of the top-ranked LPGA players from across the globe. Not to mention the fact that the first reshuffle of the 2018 LPGA Tour season happens after this tournament ends.
So, the players came here to play.
But, then again, this is May in Texas. First, the wind, then, a torrential downpour canceled Thursday’s play. Friday, the rain continued. While the course was closed for the bulk of the day, officials did, eventually open up the driving range.
The players were shuttled back and forth, wearing trash bags to protect them from the messy ride through the muck.
Glamorous, right?
But, as always, the LPGA pros (and the amateurs who qualified) took it all in stride. After the amazing maintenance crew at Old American shoveled, swept and soaked up as much of the standing water as humanly possible, the course was opened. The ladies teed off, sans spectators, for what is now a 36-hole tournament, on Friday at around 4 p.m., local time.
The weekend is expected to be nothing but sunshine and blue skies—punctuated by the typical fierce competition of an LPGA event. The gates will open to spectators at 7:30 a.m., who are definitely in for a treat, if they are willing to contend with a little residual mud.
Though abbreviated, this definitely will be a tournament to remember. And a reminder to anyone who thinks life on the LPGA is all glitz and glam that these are hard-core athletes who aren’t afraid to get a little dirty to get to the top of the leaderboard. Even if that means wearing a trash bag on occasion.
Looking forward to seeing what the weekend holds.
