The NCAA Regional in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was abruptly canceled Wednesday after being ruled “not playable at a championship level” after the course received seven inches of rain over the past several days.
The tournament hadn’t even started. Golfer Sara Byrne shared a video of the announcement on Twitter.
So here it is, the LSU regionals at Baton Rouge has been cancelled due to the course being “PLAYABLE BUT NOT AT A CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL”!!!!! Disgraceful how this whole week has been handled!!!! Every player worked so hard for this week and this is how we are treated!!! SHAMEFUL!!! pic.twitter.com/Z8FGrfYKLN— Sara Byrne (@sarabyrne01) May 12, 2021
So here it is, the LSU regionals at Baton Rouge has been cancelled due to the course being “PLAYABLE BUT NOT AT A CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL”!!!!! Disgraceful how this whole week has been handled!!!! Every player worked so hard for this week and this is how we are treated!!! SHAMEFUL!!! pic.twitter.com/Z8FGrfYKLN
Because of the tournament being canceled, the top six seeded teams will automatically advance and play May 21-26 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. These teams include host LSU, Ole Miss, Baylor, Oregon, Maryland and Alabama. Houston’s Karen Fredgaard, Miami’s Nataliya Guseva and Sam Houston State’s Hanna Alberto will all advance as individuals.
Among the golfers who expressed their disappointment on social media was Miami junior Kristyna Frydlova, who posted pictures of the course with sunny skies and some standing water.
This is what an unplayable course looks like according to @NCAA @USGA at the Baton Rouge regional. No water on the greens, looked even nicer yesterday when we couldn't play either. After 18 years of playing golf I've never experienced anything like this pic.twitter.com/Oub1pJdACP— Kristyna Frydlova (@frydlins) May 12, 2021
This is what an unplayable course looks like according to @NCAA @USGA at the Baton Rouge regional. No water on the greens, looked even nicer yesterday when we couldn't play either. After 18 years of playing golf I've never experienced anything like this pic.twitter.com/Oub1pJdACP
Tulsa assistant coach Mikayla Tatman then shared a video walking the course, saying that aside from one hole needing to be changed “the course is playable.”
Fairways are without a doubt wet, but I would not get casual water relief here. There’s one hole that would need to be changed from a par 4 to a 3. Other than that course is playable. The rules will take care of whatever relief needs to happen out there. #LetUsPlay pic.twitter.com/X2TdvSfLzu— Mikayla Tatman (@CoachMikayla) May 12, 2021
Fairways are without a doubt wet, but I would not get casual water relief here. There’s one hole that would need to be changed from a par 4 to a 3. Other than that course is playable. The rules will take care of whatever relief needs to happen out there. #LetUsPlay pic.twitter.com/X2TdvSfLzu
Former UCLA golfer Beth Wu pointed out that at the 2019 Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge there was enough rain that golfers were squeegeeing the course during their round in order to continue play.
“Cup was half full of water, didn’t stop play,” she said. “NCAA make it make sense!!”
2019 Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge. Rainy, cup was half full of water, didn’t stop play, but we did what we had to do DURING our round to continue!! @NCAA make it make sense!! pic.twitter.com/zzzlXi2dZN— Beth Wu (@bethwuuuuu) May 13, 2021
2019 Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge. Rainy, cup was half full of water, didn’t stop play, but we did what we had to do DURING our round to continue!! @NCAA make it make sense!! pic.twitter.com/zzzlXi2dZN
Arizona State golf alum Madison Kerley then showcased her own experience at a regional tournament in Norma, Oklahoma her senior year.
Especially considering I played the final round of regionals in Norman, OK, in these conditions my senior year... @GolfweekNichols pic.twitter.com/YGQrRjlpfj— Madison Kerley (@madisondion) May 13, 2021
Especially considering I played the final round of regionals in Norman, OK, in these conditions my senior year... @GolfweekNichols pic.twitter.com/YGQrRjlpfj
While the women were not allowed to practice on Monday, it appears as though the LSU men’s golf team was able to use the practice facilities.
Vanderbilt goalkeeper and former football kicker Sarah Fuller also took to Twitter to express her disappointment.
I really don’t have any words. I’m just sick of @NCAA and how they treat us. These athletes deserve a chance to play. https://t.co/YYL6ufUd9x— Sarah Fuller (@SarahFuller_27) May 13, 2021
I really don’t have any words. I’m just sick of @NCAA and how they treat us. These athletes deserve a chance to play. https://t.co/YYL6ufUd9x
Michelle Wie spoke out via Instagram story Wednesday evening, stating that at times course conditions on the LPGA tour were so bad that the groundskeeper had to squeegee the greens.
“Were these conditions “championship level”? Heck no,” Wie wrote. “But were they playable? YES. You just have to find a way to make it happen.”
“No one can control the weather, but if there’s even a CHANCE that you can play, you HAVE TO let these girls compete,” she added. “You should only cancel an event after you try EVERYTHING.”
It’s not the first time that the NCAA has come under fire this year for their lack of support surrounding women’s tournaments. The NCAA women’s basketball tournament showed us the power of social media in showcasing these issues, as the discrepancies in treatment — including the respective weight rooms — between the men’s and women’s tournaments came under fire. Then, less than a month later the NCAA was in the spotlight once again, this time over their lack of coverage and unsafe practice courts at the women’s volleyball tournament.