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EDISON, N.J. (AP) — The PGA Tour on Friday reduced its first
playoff event to 54 holes because of the rain and potential damage
expected from Hurricane Irene.
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New Jersey was under a hurricane warning, and officials feared up
to 10 inches of rain could fall on Sunday. That would make it
impossible for The Barclays to be a 72-hole tournament, and the
aftermath of the storm would keep Plainfield Country Club from
being ready even into early next week.
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Tournament director Peter Mele also said the volunteers needed to
be home to make plans for their families.
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“It kind of makes you want to cry because of all the effort that
went in, and all of the energy that surrounded this event going
into the week, which is going to be the best Barclays we have ever
had,” Mele said.
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Slugger White, the tour’s vice president of competition, said the
plan was finish 36 holes Friday and start the third round first
thing Saturday morning, with hopes of getting in a 54-hole event
before the rain arrives.
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If they can’t finish Saturday, he said it would revert to a 36-hole
tournament. Points would be distributed as if it were a full event,
meaning the top 100 players after The Barclays would advance to the
second playoff event next week outside Boston.
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Left unclear was whether a 36-hole tournament – if that were the
case – would count as an official win. Six years ago, Adam Scott
won the Nissan Open at Riviera in a playoff after rain reduced the
tournament to 36 holes. Scott was awarded the prize money, but it
did not count toward the money list, and he received only 75
percent of the world ranking points.
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“In the past it has not been an official win,” White said. “But
this is a little different situation.”
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What mattered more at this FedEx Cup playoff event was advancing to
Boston. A short tournament figured to work in the favor of someone
like Padraig Harrington and Will McGirt, the last two players of
the 125 who qualified for the playoffs. They were off to a good
start at The Barclays, and had only one more round to go to get
into the top 100.
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And it suddenly became compelling at the top of the
leaderboard.
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Matt Kuchar shot a 65 in the second round Friday morning. He was
one shot ahead of Dustin Johnson, who was playing the reachable
18th hole. Justin Rose also finished his second round at 65 and was
alone in third place.
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It was another blow to The Barclays, one of golf’s biggest sponsors
which is enduring a wet streak. It’s Singapore Open last fall did
not finish until Monday because of rain. Another event it sponsors,
the Scottish Open, was reduced to 54 holes in July because of
rain.
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White said workers would start taking down the electronic
scoreboards Friday afternoon.
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The Barclays was a sellout at Plainfield. Mele said only Saturday
tickets would be honored for the third round. He said those who had
Sunday tickets would be able to use them next year, when the
tournament moves to Bethpage Black.
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This is the second straight year a hurricane has been the focus at
a playoff event. Hurricane Earl threatened the Deutsche Bank
Championship outside Boston last season, although it never
developed.
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“I think you never know with hurricanes. They are fickle as we all
know,” Mele said. “Unfortunately, this one wasn’t.”
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