Eight-hour round - beat that!

Here at GM Towers, we're wondering what's the longest round of golf you've played after a group of elite women golfers endured a marathon eight hours to complete 18 holes.

It happened during strokeplay qualifying for the English Women's Open mid-amateur at Wetherby this week, sponsored by Tourism Ireland, when play was suspended twice, driving players from the course.

But weary Nicole Whitmore from Woburn, who started at 8.20am and finally walked off the course at 4.05pm, emerged to shoot a 3-under 70 and lead the qualifiers into today's matchplay stages.

“It's probably the longest round of golf I have ever had,” said Whitmore, who managed to play just a hole and a half before torrential rain flooded the greens and the players were called in.

Play re-started three hours later in hot sunshine, but before long the thunder rolled in again and Whitmore took shelter in a greenkeeper's shed and used the break to her advantage.

“I had missed a short birdie putt on 13 and hit a bad drive on 14 when the rain came and we were delayed again. So it was quite good to have half an hour to get it all together again.”

She certainly did that, with birdies on the 16th and 17th to get to 3-under. “I was really pleased, it wasn’t a flukey round, I hit it very well and just tried to hit fairways and greens all the time.”

Hayley Davis (Ferndown) came in with an identical score late in the day, having waited patiently for her long-delayed tee time, but probably enjoyed the best of the weather.

The weather disruptions meant the qualifying stage of the championship was reduced from 36 holes to 18, with the cut falling on six-over par 79.

Matchplay draw

Nicole Whitmore v Natalie Lowe; Kirsty O’Connor v Kerry Smith; Nicola Rawlinson v Melissa Siviter; Rosie Davies v Kirsty Rands; Sophie Powell v Amy Boulden;Stacey Rodger v Sarah-Jane Boyd; Jessica Bradley v Kelly Tidy; Elizabeth Richards v Charlotte Thomas; Jess Wilcox v Kimberley Bradbury; Emily Perry v Emma Carberry; Ami Storey v Megan Garland; Emma Tayler v Alex Peters; Ellie Robinson v Chelsea Masters; Megan Briggs v Jo Hodge; Daisy Dyer v Raffi Dyer; Charlotte Thompson v Hayley Davis

Tell us on the forum about the longest round of golf you have completed in terms of time and the circumstances, the conditions and where you sheltered from the elements.

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