Golfers Face Weather Woes at BMW Championship

Golfers at the BMW Championship in Owings Mills faced a tough start. The first round was interrupted by bad weather. Play stopped for over two hours on Thursday. The delay began at 2:35 p. m. and resumed at 4:45 p. m. The course was already challenging before the rain. Recent upgrades made Caves Valley Golf Club harder than in 2021. After the storm, the course became easier. Players scored more birdies, similar to the 2021 tournament. Viktor Hovland led early with a 3-under par 67. But by sunset, he trailed Robert MacIntyre by five shots. MacIntyre had a fantastic round, finishing with an 8-under 62. He made six birdies in a row on his back nine. The softer greens helped him shoot a personal best 29 on the back nine. MacIntyre noted the course changed after the rain. He doesn't expect the same easy conditions for the rest of the week. New drying systems under the greens should make them firm again. He predicted the next days would be tougher. Scottie Scheffler also played well after the restart. He birdied three of his last four holes. This turned his round from 1-under to 4-under. He stayed close to MacIntyre's lead. Scheffler said the course got easier, but he took advantage of it. Tommy Fleetwood finished with a 5-under 65. He was in second place and had no bogeys. He made three birdies in his last eight holes. He also benefited from the softer conditions. More weather delays are possible this week. Friday has a 40% chance of thunderstorms. Saturday and Sunday will be hot, with highs around 91 degrees. The chance of rain is low for the weekend. Despite the delay, almost all players finished Thursday. Play stopped at 8:12 p. m. due to darkness. Only Bud Cauley was left to complete his round. He will finish at 11 a. m. on Friday. The second round starts as planned at 9:21 a. m.