Cups Runneth Over With Rain in Nissan Qualifying Events

Heavy rains forced the postponement of two qualifying tournaments for the Nissan Open on Monday, and at least one can not be played until Wednesday--the day before the Nissan Open begins--tournaments organizers said.

Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills, the site of one qualifying tournament, is so soaked that the tournament already is postponed until Wednesday. Officials at the second site, Los Serranos Golf Course--also in Chino Hills--will try to have the course in playable condition today. If they are unable to do so, that tournament also will be rescheduled for Wednesday.

“I don’t see how we can play there,” said Valencia resident Jason Gore, who is entered in the Los Serranos tournament and went to the course Monday morning. “Unless it didn’t rain a lot down there. But the greens were flooded and the course was soaking wet.”

Four berths in the field for the Nissan Open, which will be played Thursday through Sunday at Valencia Country Club, are still available. There are 132 players competing for two of those spots at Los Serranos and 136 competing for the other two at Western Hills.

If course conditions don’t allow play on Wednesday, the PGA Tour will allocate the four remaining spots to players on the waiting list.

There are 37 players with ties to the Valley/Ventura County region trying to qualify for the Nissan Open. Gore, who won for the first time since turning professional in a Teardrop Tour event at Los Serranos two weeks ago, is among the favorites for one of the spots.

Former Cal State Northridge player Jeff Sanday, who finished tied for 16th after qualifying for the Buick Invitational two weeks ago, is also among the favorites.

Three groups began play Monday at Los Serranos, according to Southern California PGA spokesman Greg Flores, but by the time the first group reached the first green, the course was unplayable.

“The cup on the first hole was filled with water,” Flores said.

The rain may also suspend some events at Valencia Country Club today. Practice rounds and a Gillette Tour Challenge event are scheduled and at press time had not been canceled even though there is flooding on several holes.

The Tour Challenge is a six-hole, alternate shot event between five two-man teams scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

The Nissan Open, normally played at Riviera Country Club, is being held at Valencia Country Club because Riviera will host the U.S. Senior Open July 20-26.