Hurricane Isabel could add 84 Lumber Classic to list of tourneys delayed by rain
FARMINGTON – Everything, even the most minute of details, has been gone over. And over. And over. No stone has been left unturned in preparation for the 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania, which begins today and is slated to run through Sunday.
One whopper of a storm may have its say, however, before the weekend’s over.
Hurricane Isabel, poised to touch down sometime today near North Carolina’s Outer Banks, is expected to send rain and wind aplenty into the area Friday.
The nasty weather shouldn’t surprise anybody who has followed the PGA Tour this season. Of 39 Tour events so far, 22 have been delayed for some length by rain.
“It’s hard to say exactly what path it will take,” said Weather Channel meteorologist Willis Young. “But as of right now, it looks like it’s coming here.”
After a rainy Monday, the past two days have been full of sunshine. Today’s forecast calls for sunshine giving way to increasing cloud cover with winds increasing from 15 mph to 25 mph as the day wears on.
Friday calls for rain, heavy at times, with gusty winds of 25 to 40 mph, with higher gusts possible early.
Winds are expected to shift to the Northwest in the afternoon.
Just last week, play was extended into Monday at the John Deere Classic because of heavy rain Friday and early Saturday morning.
“Rains will start as scattered Thursday after dark,” Young said. “Friday, by tee times, we will have heavy rains and strong winds.
“The good news is, as it comes in, it will diminish in intensity. Once it hits land, it begins to weaken because the ocean is flat, and the land isn’t. The diminishing will be even more once it hits the mountains.”
Play begins both Thursday at Friday at 7:15 a.m., with the last threesomes slated to tee off at 1:39 p.m.
Should rain force Friday’s round to be postponed, the Tour has several options, including playing 36 holes Saturday, or if needed, using Monday to conclude the tournament.