Andrew Alderson: Weather frustration shouldn't sully NZ Open

Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Megan Khang of USA shelter under an umbrella as play is called off. Photo / Getty

Frustrations boiled over at times on a weather-ravaged day at the New Zealand Women's Open, but organisers should escape punishment for a staccato finish which has spilled into today.

Auckland's four-seasons-in-one-day climate can irritate, but what were the realistic alternatives?

If there was an error to scrutinise in hindsight, it was keeping patrons waiting until 4.50pm - after more than five hours of delay - before the players returned for approximately one hole each.

They could have canned the day around 4pm, knowing the weather radar was likely to serve up further trouble. The powderkeg of loose hoardings and angry players could have been mitigated alongside the promise of free spectator entry today.

Irrespective of that - and such decisions often require myriad consultations when a global sporting organisation like the LPGA is involved - the tournament has suffered few glitches. Hopefully one foul tempest, which had Brittany Lincicome and Belen Mozo bristling in the lead group, does not sully efforts to stage a tournament that has galvanised the local golfing community.

Lydia Ko also deserves credit. Even when Auckland's two coasts conspired to produce doozy gusts at inopportune times, Ko channeled serenity, signing autographs and submitting to selfies at will.

However, with logistics like flights and accommodation difficult to change at the last minute, a number of caddies and volunteers will be absent when the denouement begins at 8.15am. The tournament will be challenged to maintain its structure under jury rig.

An upshot is that the crowd numbers and player satisfaction, at least after the first three rounds, was deemed a coup by the LPGA.

Sean Pyun, vice president and managing director of LPGA Asia, said he was "blown away" by the patronage for the opening three rounds. That quote seems apt after today's meterological influences, but he was fair dinkum when he said it.

The LPGA hope the tournament becomes a regular fixture, preferably moving into a two-leg stint with the Australian Open in February to draw a stronger player contingent. That will require negotiations with tournament partners who have backed hosting it in the New Zealand spring.

Today strengthened the LPGA argument as Auckland's narrow mainland proved vulnerable to the elements.

Knitting the Australia and New Zealand legs of the schedule together would make it easier for players to make the trip through economies of scale.

"We need to establish the event this year," Pyun said. "But we'll talk about weather, a title sponsor, the Auckland and New Zealand government [input] and the LPGA schedule.

"Frankly speaking, players are excited to play in different places when the season starts, as opposed to September-October when the season is winding down and players are getting tired."