The sky over Taiwan has insisted on adding more drama to the already tense end of the Ladies European Tour season. The Wistron Ladies Open, planned over three days after Thursday’s cancellation, barely got underway this Friday before rain —once again— halted play. The name of the course, Sunrise Golf and Country Club, now sounds like pure irony: neither sun nor respite.
The tournament, the penultimate of the regular calendar, is in a critical situation. The weather is unpredictable in the area and storms offer no respite. Only 54 players had managed to get out on the course when the organisers declared the definitive suspension of the day. The earliest group was on the 14th hole. The rest are waiting for the sky to give an opportunity. If the forecasts are met —they don’t seem very promising—, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think of a tournament reduced to 36 holes. Despite the continuous rain, the course remains in playable condition, it just needs the weather to allow play. It has already been announced that play will resume on Saturday at 6:40 in the morning.
Among the Spanish players, only three have managed to play: Nuria Iturrioz (-2), Ana Peláez (PAR) and María Hernández (+1). Iturrioz, with two birdies without fault in the first thirteen holes, was fourth with two under par at the time of suspension. Her goal is clear: to finish the year among the top ten in the ranking to earn a direct pass to the final of the LPGA Tour School. She has played faultlessly in really difficult conditions.
Ana Peláez, at par after seven holes, continues to defend her position within the top 70 that guarantees the card. María Hernández, on the other hand, signed +1 after six and needs a good result to keep her chances of retaining the category alive.
Neither Marta Martín nor Luna Sobrón, the other two Spanish players present in Taiwan, have managed to get out on the course. Both hope to play on Saturday while the water dictates the pace of a tournament that seems determined to be played against the clock.
From here to Guadalhorce, there is only one more stop —China— to decide the future of many players. And for now, the only one in charge at the Sunrise is the typhoon.
