NCAA representatives have said little to explain their decision to cancel the NCAA Women’s Regional in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after deeming the University Club playable but “not playable at a championship level.”
Golf Twitter has filled the silence.
In the 24 hours after the championship was canceled, video footage circulated of NCAA Committee representative Brad Hurlbut, the Director of Athletics at Fairleigh Dickinson, delivering that line. When players object, Hurlbut initially tries to respond before abruptly turning, along with three other individuals, and marching back up a set of stairs.
Multiple Golfweek attempts to reach Hurlbut went unanswered. On Thursday afternoon, Julie Manning, chair of the NCAA Women’s Golf Committee, broke the NCAA’s silence when she appeared on Golf Channel.
Manning addressed, among other things, the decision to cancel and why the tournament couldn’t run into another day.
“Very difficult to ask these golf courses to give up the courses to commit further than we’ve asked of them on the front end in the bidding process,” she said on the latter topic. “In the end, we did follow our procedure and our manual that was put together decades ago and fortunately never thought this has happened. It has not happened until this year.”
Roughly an hour earlier, Miami head coach Patti Rizzo appeared on SportsCenter to discuss the events in Baton Rouge.
The commentary continues on social media. Below are some of the reactions:
I really don’t have any words. I’m just sick of @NCAA and how they treat us. These athletes deserve a chance to play. https://t.co/YYL6ufUd9x
— Sarah Fuller (@SarahFuller_27) May 13, 2021
Lewis, who is married to Houston women’s golf coach Gerrod Chadwell, had a vested interest as Houston was the No. 8 seed in Baton Rouge.
There’s a lot I could say on this but @NCAA you failed these kids… Be creative, be willing to adapt, and most importantly let their play decide who plays for a National Championship! Proud of @UHCougarWGolf, they will be back!!!
— Stacy Lewis (@Stacy_Lewis) May 12, 2021
Martin Piller played college golf at Texas A&M.
After thinking about it I still have no idea what “championship level” means when it comes to golf course conditions.
— martin piller (@martinpiller) May 12, 2021
Madison Kerley formerly played for Arizona State.
Especially considering I played the final round of regionals in Norman, OK, in these conditions my senior year… @GolfweekNichols pic.twitter.com/YGQrRjlpfj
— Madison Kerley (@madisondion) May 13, 2021
Beth Wu formerly played for UCLA.
2019 Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge. Rainy, cup was half full of water, didn’t stop play, but we did what we had to do DURING our round to continue!! @NCAA make it make sense!! pic.twitter.com/zzzlXi2dZN
— Beth Wu (@bethwuuuuu) May 13, 2021
Karen Stupples is an analyst for Golf Channel.
More than anything else, why no pumps? why no maintenance crews working on the course? why no back up plan? Why ZERO effort made to get the teams playing. Knowing they had to be done on Wednesday why was there was no urgency?
— Karen Stupples (@Kstupples) May 13, 2021
And perhaps most exciting of all for the 12 teams who didn’t advance to the national championship…
Announcement. Inviting the following women’s golf teams to AZ next week:
Oregon St, Houston, Miami FL, North Texas, Purdue, Mississippi State, Tulsa, Sam Houston State, Kennesaw State, East Tennessee State, Jacksonville State, Quinnipiac.
& several individuals #LetThemPlay pic.twitter.com/X8zywqIBNU
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 13, 2021
