17 Aug Laurie Rinker Wins Rain-Shortened Legends Championship
FRENCH LICK, Ind., Aug. 17, 2014 – Laurie Rinker put herself in position to win The Legends Championship in Saturday’s second round and was in the right place at the right time when heavy rain canceled Sunday’s final round.
Rinker took a slim one-stroke lead at 7-under 137 on Saturday over hard-charging Sherri Steinhauer at 6-under 138. Steinhauer blistered the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort Saturday with a course-record score of 9-under 63 and appeared ready to challenge the leader in today’s final round.
But that round never came.
Expecting inclement weather, Legends Tour officials scheduled a 7:30 a.m. start off both the first and tenth tees, but heavy early-morning storms dumping up to two inches of rain left the course too wet for play at the scheduled start. Thunderstorms were also in the area on Sunday.
Officials considered a five-hour delay, but the rain became stronger and fog made visibility difficult. The decision was made at noon to shorten the tournament to 36 holes.
“The forecast and deteriorating course conditions played a major role in our decision to call it,” said Kent Kahre, head rules official for the Legends Tour.
That meant Laurie Rinker, who tied for second at last year’s storm-hampered tournament, was declared the 2014 champion and winner of the $60,000 first-place check.
“Looking at the weather Friday night, it kind of crossed my mind that not playing on Sunday was a possibility,” said Rinker, of Stuart, Fla. “I thought, ‘I hope I have a really good round Saturday in case that happens.’ ”
As it turned out, Rinker was tied with Steinhauer at six under in Saturday’s second round when she made a 30-foot putt for birdie on No. 16 to take the outright lead at seven under. That timely putt ultimately enabled her to win her third Legends Tour title. Read more at thelegendstour.com.