MURRIETA – The only thing sitting on the greens at the SCGA Members Course on Wednesday afternoon was the hail, some the size of marbles. Not exactly the best conditions for playing the CIF So-Cal boys golf Championships.

For almost four hours thunder clapped overhead and lightning lit up the dark black sky, forcing SCGA officials to suspend play until 9 a.m. Thursday.

Hail covers the practice green outside the clubhouse at the SCGA Members Course as thunderstorms suspend the CIF So-Cal championships

Mike Sweeney, the director of rules and competitions for the SCGA which runs the tournament, said the competitors will be able to play the ball from where they marked it before thunderstroms forced them off the coure at approximately 10 a.m. If they picked up their ball, Sweeney said, they will be allowed to drop it in the place where they best believe it was.

CIF Southern Section commissioner Jim Staunton said he considered calling the event and using the results from the team and individual regionals to settle the So-Cal championships. Course ratings would have factored into his decision; however, he said, “That would still be like comparing apples to oranges. And that is a call that I didn’t want to make.”

Besides crowning a team and individual champion this event will also determine who advances to the state championships which will be held June 10 at Poppy Hills at Pebble Beach. The top three teams and six individuals (who are not on a qualifying team) will get a tee time at state.

The preliminary forecast for tomorrow calls for partly cloudy skies. All of the locals here at the course said they couldn’t remember a time when they saw a lightning storm as fierce as this one was at times, with some bolts striking the ground in the neighborhood surrounding on the greens.

Servite junior Patrick Cantlay, who is 22 under par through the four CIF events that he has played this postseason, was at even par when he headed to the clubhouse said a delay like this doesn’t affect the way that he will play in the rest of the event.

“You shut it off from the time that you walk off, and then focus again when you get the green light to go out and play,” Cantlay said while he took a break from playing cards with teammates. “I am OK with being even. It’s not great but it’s fine. Coming back tomorrow … is no big deal.”

Corona del Mar’s Mike Moorhead thinks the delay might actually help out a bit.

“I can sit down and think about it tonight and see what I can do to get better,” said Moorhead, who was 1-over after completing six holes.

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