Elk Ridge Open canceled after heavy rains: PGA Tour Canada

Organizers have decided to cancel the Elk Ridge Open due to an “inordinate amount of rain.”

In a PGA Tour Canada news release, tournament director Matt Delaney explained that rain was not irregular for the event, but there was just simply too much this year for the event to go forward.

“When we began the Elk Ridge Open, the golf course was borderline, again, because of all the rain this part of the province has received,” Delaney said in the release.

“But it was good enough to play. It’s not good enough now.”

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About half of the 156 players were able to finish their first rounds on Thursday. However, weather caused several interruptions and ultimately left the course in poor playing condition.

“During the last 10 days, the golf course has received over 10 inches of rain. We evaluated the golf course this morning, and it was completely flooded,” Delaney said.

“It’s totally unplayable golf conditions. You can’t play under the rules of golf in conditions like this.”

Delaney noted that it would take about a week for the course to dry out enough to have normal play.

PCA Tour Canada executive director Scott Pritchard said that canceling a tournament was not something the organization took lightly.

“We enter every tournament week with the intent of playing 72 holes of golf. The unprecedented rain in this part of the province actually made the decision for us,” Pritchard said. “There was just no way we could continue with the tournament, as the course is totally unplayable.”

Pritchard went on to say that while the tournament cannot be rescheduled, PGA Tour Canada looks forward to returning to Elk Ridge in 2023.