With more rain forecasted through Friday night and into Saturday, several changes will be made to the Winthrop Gold Course for the final round in order to keep holes around Winthrop Lake playable. Chief among them will be the elimination of Hole 17, resulting in only 17 holes played on Saturday.
USDGC and PDGA officials came to the decision Friday after reviewing the forecast through Saturday afternoon.
Here’s a list of the changes:
- Hole #5: The tee remains the same, but the pin is now about 45-feet shorter and was removed from the peninsula to a spot closer to the road. Players will not play over the water for approach shots. The mandatory is not in effect.
- Hole #6: Both the tee and the pin have been moved to the right away from the lake. The VIP parking area and roped OB area are both still out of bounds. There is a new Drop Zone for all OB shots that is 47 feet short of the target.
- Hole #17: Will not be played. The island green may be under water.
- Hole #18: The tee has been moved to the right, away from the dock tee pad. The pin will be in the short position as planned. The OB areas and mandatory are both still in effect.
Despite these changes and the continued wet weather, the final round still looks to be one to remember for both the players and the fans.
