Weather or Not

The two-sentence email was sent to players competing in the first stage of DP World Tour Q school, with no elaboration or followup: "Due to course conditions, there will be no play today. The tournament is reduced to 36 holes."

The announcement that the tournament was being cut from four rounds to two left players angry, frustrated and demanding answers. 

For players without status, Q school is the year's most important event. It gives them a chance to earn a coveted tour card and change their career trajectory. There is also the substantial financial commitment associated with qualifying school. A player who enters Q school in both the U.S. and Europe is looking at nearly $10,000 in entry fees alone. Add in travel and depending on the number of stages a player tees it up in, and the bill could easily approach $20,000. 

The first stage of DPWT Q school has 13 sites this year. A field of 112 showed up for the first stage at Bogogno Golf Resort about 50 miles northwest of Milan. The area had been inundated with rain. Players who arrived as early as Friday for the Tuesday start found the course soaked and nearly unplayable. The forecast looked grim, and that is where the frustration began for the players. 

The first two rounds at the par-71 course were played as scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday in good weather and with lift, clean, and place. The forecast for the next two days wasn’t promising, and multiple players I spoke with wondered why, given the forecast and knowing the course couldn't take much more rain, officials didn't try to schedule 27 holes on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The rain started again on Wednesday night, making multiple holes unplayable. Officials shortened some holes and set up the course for the third round as a par-62. Mats were placed on several saturated tee boxes as an option for players. 

On Thursday, a few groups teed off before play was halted after more rain fell. After numerous delays, play was called for the day at 2 p.m. In an email, players were told the third round would resume at 9 a.m. on Friday. That’s when the players' frustration began to bubble over. Some went to the practice facility to find the other 18-hole course on the property was open for public play.  

According to the guidelines set by the tour, Saturday was the last day for play.  As some players arrived at the clubhouse that morning, they discovered six officials were having breakfast. "It's Q school,” one player said. “Why weren't they out on the course doing everything they could to get the course ready?" Another said, "If we had only 18 holes in at that time, they would have been out there so we could get 36 in, but since we had 36 in already, it seemed like they didn't make an extra effort to get more in." 

Despite a favorable forecast, the event was called at 10 a.m. Players walked to their cars to find the other course open for play again. 

"Thirty-six holes for the biggest event of my season is ridiculous,” one player said. “This isn't a mini-tour event. It's Q school."

Multiple players have sent emails to the tour regarding a possible refund of their entry fee. An email back from the Tour stated that although the shape of the course was less than desirable even before the rain that the results would stand. 

All told, 22 players (nine players finished T13) in the field of 112 advanced to the second stage. Among the players who missed were PGA Tour winner Jonas Blixt, Canadian Jared du Toit, former Korn Ferry Tour member Will Cannon, and Anthony Paolucci, a former world No. 1 junior.