Golf
Associated Press 8y

Major rain: Storms and majors don't mix

Golf

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Golf and storms don't mix. That's especially the case at Baltusrol.

The last time the PGA Championship was on the A.W. Tillinghast design, thunderstorms forced the tournament to be delayed until Monday. Play resumed the next morning with Phil Mickelson facing a putt on No. 14. Mickelson ended up claiming a one-shot victory with a birdie on the 18th.

This year's PGA Championship could look similar to 2005. Severe storms suspended play for the day on Saturday , and 10 players returned Sunday morning to start their rounds while 39 others finished theirs.

With no delays on Sunday, the tournament could be completed, but with even one delay, a Monday finish would to be the most likely scenario.

Here's a look at other majors that have been affected by weather delays:

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2015 British Open at St. Andrews

After rain on Friday caused a three-hour delay, heavy wind caused a 10-hour delay on Saturday. The combination of flooding and high wind caused the entire second round to last nearly 39 hours over two days. It also forced a Monday finish. It was the first time the British Open ended on a Monday since 1988.

Zach Johnson won in a four-hole playoff over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Jordan Spieth, going for the third leg of the Grand Slam, missed the playoff by one shot.

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2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black (New York)

Relentless rain fell for five straight days, starting with the opening round. Just over three hours of golf was played, and no one played more than 11 holes. Play was suspended again on Saturday. It was the first time the U.S. Open ended on a Monday without a playoff since 1983.

Lucas Glover closed with a 3-over 73 for a two-shot victory.

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1988 British Open at Royal Lytham

Steady rain forced the cancellation of the entire third round on Saturday, causing it to be played on Sunday and the final round on Monday. Primarily the ninth, 10th, and 11th greens were flooded. It was the first time the British Open extended past Sunday.

Seve Ballesteros won, securing his third Open Championship, and last of his five majors.

In his career, Ballesteros won the Open on a Saturday, a Sunday and a Monday. He won in 1979 when the British Open used to end on Saturday. He won on Sunday in 1984 at St. Andrews, and then Monday in 1988 .

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1987 Women's U.S. Open at Plainfield (New Jersey)

Rain stopped play on Sunday and forced golfers to resume Monday morning. JoAnne Carner took the lead on the 17th with a birdie, but she missed a 5-foot par on the last hole to create a three-way playoff on Tuesday.

Laura Davies won the first of her four majors in an 18-hole playoff over Ayako Okamoto and Carner.

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1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pennsylvania)

Rain caused play to be suspended on Sunday, with the leaders only needing to play the last four holes. When play resumed on Monday, Larry Nelson pulled ahead from the field with a 60-foot birdie putt on the 16th. Tom Watson and Seve Ballesteros shared a third-round, but Ballesteros fell behind and tied for fourth. Watson couldn't make a 5-footer for par on the 17th and missed a birdie at the last that would have forced a playoff.

Nelson won his second major.

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