BRIDGEHAMPTON - A line of nasty thunder storms Monday forced the Metropolitan Golf Association to postpone the first round of The Ike Championship. The organization’s first major of the season will restart this morning at Atlantic Golf Club and conclude on Wednesday.
Lightning prompted officials to evacuate 20 players from the course around 8:30 a.m. The first group had reached the sixth tee.
Approximately three inches of rain fell in a short time, and Atlantic superintendent Bob Ranum and his staff were out pumping water from bunkers Monday afternoon. There was minimal damage from the storm. In order to ensure the 122 amateurs play the course under similar conditions, golfers will start over this morning and the field will be reduced to low 40 and ties after the first round.
The Ike will conclude with 36-holes on Wednesday.
