Hyundai Tournament Shuts Down Due to Erratic Weather

A view of the 18th hole during the second round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation course last year. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images.

Editor’s Note: Story has been updated to reflect the suspension of play.

By Rodney S. Yap

Erratic weather conditions at Kapalua have shut down the 2013 Hyundai Tournament of Champions, which was due to tee off today and run through Monday at The Plantation Course.

Besides sunblock, golfers carried umbrellas, towels and rain gear for the 20 to 30 mph trade winds that blew squalls of rain sideways.

Constantly changing conditions highlighted today’s opening round and made it difficult for players to putt and determine distance to the pin. Officials stopped play and cancelled all scores.

Play is expected to restart early tomorrow, at 7:30 a.m. instead of 10:30 a.m., to make up for lost time and still end the tournament on Monday as planned. The shuttle will operate from the Honua Kai resort starting at 6:45 a.m and gates open at 7 a.m. Friday’s tickets will be honored for any other day of the tournament.

Steve Stricker is the defending champion for this tournament. He won last year’s event with a 23-under par. He was set to tee off at 12:55 p.m. with Brandt Snedeker. Stricker announced last month that he would “semi retire” after this weekend’s champions-only tournament and will probably not play another PGA Tour event until February’s Match Play Championship.

The 45-year-old Stricker told Golfweek’s Alex Micelilast month he wants to focus on the season’s four major championships as he reduces his 2013 play to about 10 tournaments.

Steve Stricker walks down the the second hole fairway in the rain during the Pro-Am round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course on Thursday. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

The Wisconsin native, who has exemptions into all four majors and is the oldest player in the field this week, said he was not retiring but planned to spend more time with his family and a foundation he recently established. The philanthropy has yet to have a name or specific goal, but Stricker said his aim was to help high schoolers pay for college.

“That’s the plan,” Stricker said. “I’m going to play a lot less.”

Stricker cited the grind of playing a fuller schedule (19 events last year) as one reason for cutting back on his playing time. At No. 18 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Stricker has played in 416 events in his PGA Tour career, earning $35,079,561, and has won in each of the past four consecutive years.

“I’m not quitting,” said the 12-time tour winner who will start the 2013 campaign as No. 18 in the world golf rankings. “I still enjoy playing, but I don’t enjoy the travel.”

Among the first-round pairings for this year’s 30-player field are Jason Dufner and Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Webb Simpson and Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.

In 2012, the tournament made contributions totaling nearly $300,000 to local charities. Since 1999, when the Hyundai Tournament of Champions moved to Kapalua, the event has donated nearly $4 million to charity. These charitable figures can only happen as a result of the selfless dedication of the hundreds of tournament volunteers.

A traditional Hawaiian blessing kicked off the tournament this morning. Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua Cultural Advisor Clifford Naeole and the cast of Ulalena performed the blessing.

The Aloha Kick-Off also featured performances by Grammy Award winner and slack key guitarist George Kahumoku and Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning vocalist and songwriter Amy Hanaiali’i, who sang Hawaii Pono’i and the national anthem.

TV TIMES (All Hawaii)

Friday, January 4

10:30-5 p.m. Golf Channel

Friday, January 4

5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Golf Channel

Saturday, January 5

12:30-5 p.m. Golf Channel

Saturday, January 5

5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Golf Channel

Sunday, January 6

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. NBC

Sunday, January 6

1-5 p.m. Golf Channel

Sunday, January 6

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Golf Channel

Monday, January 7

11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Golf Channel

Gate Information

Thursday, Jan. 3

– Gates open at 7 a.m. – FREE ADMISSION

Friday – Sunday, Jan. 4 – 6

– Gates open at 8 a.m.

– First tee time (approx.) at 10:20 a.m.

Monday, Jan. 7

– Gates open at 7:30 a.m.

– First tee time (approx.) at 8:15 a.m.

Free Public Parking and Shuttles

Public parking is located at the Honua Kai Resort (north end of Kaanapali).

Click for parking map