MARANA ARIZONA – The best 64 golfers in the world got together for the first time this season and a snow fight broke out.
In the most bizarre episode of a PGA Tour season already filled with wacky weather, the opening round of the Match Play Championship lasted only 3½ hours Wednesday until it was suspended by a winter storm that covered Dove Mountain with nearly 2 inches of snow.
Rickie Fowler wasn’t firing at flags. He was slinging snowballs.
There was no “snowman” on anyone’s scorecard — golf slang for an 8 — but there was one built on a green at the practice range.
“I’ve never actually played golf to the point where we’ve actually stopped for snow, which is kind of crazy,” said Jason Day of Australia, who was 6 up through 10 holes over Zach Johnson. “A little crazy for it to snow in the desert, as well. But that’s just how it is. Mother Nature can do whatever she wants.”