Mother Nature has had a big part to plat at the 34th Annual Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY on the Symetra Tour as more delays filled day two at Capital Hills at Albany Golf Course, forcing the first round to conclude late and pushing the start of the second (and final) round to Sunday.
It hasn’t affected Ireland’s Leona Maguire though as she stormed her way to a T14 position with five birdies and two bogeys in her round of 68 to leave her just two off the lead held by Erica Popson. Stephanie Meadow is also going well, in T19 position after four birdies in her round of 69.
Originally scheduled to resume at 8:30 a.m. ET yesterday, round one did not get underway until 9:37 a.m. due to unplayable course conditions. It then chugged along until another weather delay began at 2:01 p.m. when lightning crept into the Capital Region, giving way to heavy rains. At 5:30 p.m., players found their way back onto the course and were able to officially complete the first 18 holes.
“Shooting 5-under is awesome, but finishing is even better,” Erica Popson (Davenport, Florida) said laughingly. “I got here at 6:50 this morning when I pulled in the parking lot, so it has been a really long day. I’m glad to be able to go grab some food, have a whiskey and go to bed.”
Popson was one of four players to card an opening round 5-under par 66. That group, along with the rest of the 144-player field will be chasing Kendall Dye (Edmond, Oklahoma) tomorrow. The former University of Oklahoma standout fired a 6-under par 65, complete with nine birdies and three bogeys.
With conditional status on the LPGA Tour this year, Dye hasn’t had the season she was hoping for across eight starts in the big time. Nonetheless, this result does not make her bat an eye.
“I have been playing really good golf, solid golf, but just not consistent enough,” said Dye, who shot a bogey-free, 5-under par 31 going out this afternoon. “I have missed every cut on the LPGA by like one to three shots, typically. It’s just soul crushing because you go back and think what if, but I’m not surprised by today. Everything kept dropping and I was hitting good shots.”
“I literally am plugging every single green,” Dye said. “I told the girls in my group that golf would be so easy if this is how it was every single day. Just aim, shoot, fire. Hopefully with all the experience I can go and get the ‘W’ tomorrow.”
A total of 75 players sit at even par or better heading into the final round. With no cut being made as the Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY is now a 36-hole event, the top-60 players and ties will be paid accordingly.
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