Weather is already forcing adjustments at multiple NCAA Division I women’s golf regional sites.
The Lubbock, Texas regional will now begin Sunday instead of Monday due to forecasted thunderstorms. In Norman, Oklahoma, teams will play 36 holes on Monday to get ahead of expected storms Tuesday and Wednesday.
Lubbock is bracing for one to two inches of rain and severe weather Monday. Sunday’s conditions won’t be ideal either, with winds reaching 20 to 30 mph and higher gusts possible, though it should remain dry for most of the day.
Texas enters as the top seed in Lubbock, followed by Wake Forest, Arizona, Texas A&M and Iowa State.
The Norman forecast looks equally challenging. There’s a 100% chance of rain Tuesday with one to two inches expected. Wednesday doesn’t look much better, with scattered showers and a 50% chance of precipitation.
The Norman regional features Stanford as the top seed, with Northwestern, North Carolina, Michigan State and Duke rounding out the top five. Host Oklahoma sits as the six seed.
It’s worth noting that play cannot extend beyond Wednesday evening, creating a tight window to complete all rounds.
This situation brings back memories of what happened four years ago, when the women’s regional in Baton Rouge was controversially canceled due to heavy rains and poor course conditions. In that case, the NCAA simply advanced teams based on seeding rather than actual competition.
The schedules at the other four women’s regionals remain unchanged. After 54 holes at each of the six sites, the top five finishing teams will advance to the NCAA Championship.
