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CNN Saturday Morning News

PGA Championship Continues in Minnesota

Aired August 17, 2002 - 09:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The PGA championship continues today in Minnesota. Let's send it over to CNN's Larry Smith standing by with the latest. Hey, Larry, can you hear me?
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Catherine, I can.

The winds here are picking up something pretty fierce. Should be a very interesting day here at the PGA championship in suburban Minneapolis. Those storms last night are gone. That is the good news. No lightning in the forecast or thunderstorms, but the wind, again, is going to be something to deal with today, 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 miles per hour. We just experienced one of those just before we went on air here.

It's funny to watch the golfers in the practice range behind us. They are going up one or two clubs to try to hit into the wind and try to see how the wind is gauged. As a result, we are almost getting pelted with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) balls coming in our area.

But video from yesterday, it was not a laughing matter at all. Play suspended early due to the lightning strikes. Keep in mind, it was 11 years ago at the U.S. Open here at Hazeltine where a fan was killed actually when they were hit by lightning.

Play resumed -- it -- play did -- will resume today in about an hour. But it's become a growing trend here. The fourth major out of all four this year that has been affected by weather.

So, once again, they will continue play here at about 10:15 Eastern time. Round three slated to begin about 12:30. Everyone reaching for their parkas and their wind suits today. Temperatures will not get into the 70s.

Fred Funk is your leader right now at 7 under par. He is on the course still when play resumes.

Tiger Woods, 3 under par vying for his third major of the year and trying to become the first man ever to win three majors in a year twice.

And if you know Tiger Woods and follow things that he's done, he'll turn 27 in December. He said in the very beginning he wanted to reach Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 majors. If he can get a win this weekend despite the conditions, he's already have nine before his 27th birthday, so it will be interesting to watch. Do not expect anyone to score very well in conditions like these. Everyone trying just to keep the ball down amidst all this wind and the weather that is on a very wet course out here at Hazeltine.

Let's go back to you.

CALLAWAY: Yes, you know, Larry, I'm looking behind you there. The course looks a mess, all kinds of water out there.

SMITH: Yes, this is -- yes, there is a lot of water on the course. Crews worked overnight. The storms went well into the night here in Minneapolis. They said they don't feel like the damage is too substantial, but it is requiring more work. They were going to tee off at 7:30 local time, but because of the water on the course, they pushed it back to 9:15 local time here, Central time, to try to get things started.

CALLAWAY: All right, Larry, have fun out there. See you a little bit later.

SMITH: We'll try to anchor ourselves down.

CALLAWAY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), weight your pants.

SMITH: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CALLAWAY: You know, I mean...

(CROSSTALK)

CALLAWAY: ... yes, that's right, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) always put weights in their skirts and their pants so they don't blow up, you see.

O'BRIEN: Oh, I see.

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