The tournament officials scheduled tee times particularly early on Sunday in an attempt to avoid the rain and wind that was forecast for the afternoon. Didn’t work.
After only five holes of play, Brendan Steele and the rest of the players on the course were stopped by tournament officials. The rain, the wind and the cold were so miserable that bogey had become the new par. The wind gusts were strong enough to blow down several trees, including an enormous eucalyptus.
Play was allowed to continue a couple of hours later, but the conditions were still horrid, and play was again discontinued — finally until Monday morning. All the native Idyllwilder could muster under these conditions was a 7-over-par 79 for the final round, giving him a 6-over-par 68-72-75-79 — 294 score for the tournament, and finishing him in a tie for 49th place.
The conditions were so horrendous, Scott Brown, who had led the tournament going into the final round, posted a 15-over-par 87 on Sunday/Monday, dropping him into a tie for 49th place, as well.
Brendan picked up 18 FedExCup points for the tournament, giving him 264 on the season, and placing him 30th on the points list.
B plays this week in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Check with the Town Crier online late Tuesday afternoon, when we are likely to have his tee times.
