OLTEWAH, Tenn. — For the third straight day, Mother Nature showed no mercy at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
Just as was the case on Wednesday and Thursday here at the Honors Course, wild weather conditions halted play Friday afternoon with all eight Round of 16 matches underway. Unlike the first two days, though, on Friday play never resumed.
After nearly three hours of rain and repeated lightning flashes, the USGA suspended the matches for the remainder of the day, citing unsafe conditions. Play is expected to resume Saturday at 7 a.m. ET.
As the course was assessed for potential damage, a tree behind the 18th green was discovered to have been struck by lightning. The tree sustained a long vertical gash, while bark and pieces of wood were scattered throughout the surrounding area. One piece of debris was even driven into the side of a nearby practice green. It remains unclear whether the storm caused any additional damage to the course.
Among the most intriguing story lines is 14-year-old Maggie Jiayi Ma of Irvine, Calif., who is the youngest player in the 156-player field and making a run at becoming the youngest champion in Women’s Amateur history. In her Round of 16 match against U.S. Girls’ Junior champion Clairey Lin, Ma is tied through four holes.