Former LPGA player Clariss Guce fires 66 at Inspirato Colorado Women’s Open after 1.6 inches of rain falls at GVR
By Gary Baines – 6/1/2022
A total of 1.6 inches of rain falling at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in less than 24 hours didn’t keep the first round of the Inspirato Colorado Women’s Open from being played on Wednesday — albeit after a 4 1/2-hour delay.
The rain total at GVR in roughly 20 hours was more than fell on the course cumulatively in the last seven months of 2021, according to Kevin Laura, the CEO of the Inspirato Colorado Open Championships.
So after beginning at 11:30 a.m. instead of 7, roughly half the field completed round 1 on Wednesday, while the second wave will return on Thursday morning to resume the first round before beginning round 2.
Laura said the plan remains to complete a full 54-hole event on Friday, when $100,000 will go to the winner.
“Our goal is not to have a 36-hole event,” he said on Wednesday afternoon.
Leading the way after Wednesday was Clariss Guce of Artesia, Calif., who played in 22 LPGA Tour events from 2019-21. She shot a 6-under-par 66 that included seven birdies and a bogey. Next best was Elayna Bowser of Dearborn, Mich. (68).
Heading the Colorado contingent on Wednesday was Jaylee Tait of Littleton (1 under par through five holes).
The top amateur after day 1 was Tess Blair of South Jordan, Utah, a Sacramento State golfer, who posted a 70 that featured five birdies. Also at 2 under was future University of Colorado golfer Morgan Miller (though three holes).
For all the scores from the Colorado Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. He was voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2021. Email: ColoradoGolfJournal@mac.com)
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