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PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Faced with a flooded course in which some fairways were more suited for fishing than playing golf, the LPGA Tour found a unique solution Thursday. It shortened the Ocean Club to 12 holes for at least the first round of its inaugural Bahamas Classic. The only other option might have been to cancel the tournament. A storm the locals havent seen in 20 years poured a foot of rain on Paradise Island earlier in the week. A lake that separates the ninth and 18th holes turned into a lagoon, setting off a chain reaction of drainage problems. Even with nine pumps siphoning water back into the ocean, progress was slow. "Every time I come up with a decision, a third of my tour doesnt like it. But I cant be afraid of that," LPGA Tour commissioner Mike Whan said. "I dont expect people to love the outcome, but its better than the alternative. ... Everybody who plays over the next few days is going to play the same thing. Its OK not to like it." Whan listened to a spirited discussion about the Bahamas Classic counting as official. The LPGA Tour policy says a tournament has to be 36 holes to be official, and this likely will be every bit of that -- if not more. The tournament will start Friday over 12 holes, and the number of holes could be expanded each day depending on how fast the water drains. The hope was for an 18-hole finish on Sunday. "I feel sorry for Pure Silk. Theyve done a hell of a job with the tournament," Juli Inkster said. Ohio-based Pure Silk signed on with the Bahamas Tourism Ministry as title sponsors of the $1.3 million event, the first time the LPGA Tour has come to the Bahamas. "I think we should play," Inkster said. "We should play as many as we can and crown a winner. I just think were here, and everyone has the same opportunity to play well and win. Its a rare thing thats happened once since Ive been out here. And Ive been out here a long time." Inkster and Laura Davies were at the 1988 Kemper Open in Hawaii, which not only was shortened to 54 holes because of torrential rain, but only 16 holes were used for the first round because two holes were under water. Going even further back in history -- way back -- the British Open first was played at Prestwick and contested on the 12-hour course over three rounds until the course eventually expanded to 18 holes. So the winner of the Bahamas Classic will have something in common with Old Tom Morris. Stacy Lewis won a tournament in Arkansas where it rained so hard it took three days to get in 18 holes. It did not count as official. "Its strange to play 12 holes a day, but were all going to play the same holes," she said. "When you get out there and play, you do the best you can." How flooded is the course? Lewis has quite the fish tale. She was on the course Wednesday afternoon with Brittany Lincicome, not with golf clubs but fishing rods. Wading along in the ninth fairway, Lewis said she hooked a tarpon she estimated at about 4 feet. The tarpon spun high out of the water and broke the line. Yes, the big one got away. "Ive hooked some big ones," Lewis said. "But Ive never seen a fish that big on a golf course." Starting times have been adjusted. Instead of a two-tee start for the 144-player field, everyone will start on No. 10 and then weave their way around the Tom Weiskopf design in the following order: 6-7-4-5-11-12-13-14-2-3 before finishing on No. 8. The pars and yardages on some holes might have to change, though one principle of golf remains -- low score wins. Suzann Pettersen was among those peppering Whan with questions on why it would be official, especially with Solheim Cup and ranking points available, along with the money list. She stood by her opinion, but was ready and willing to play. "Were doing the best with what we have," Pettersen said. "Youve just got to fill out whatever box is there on the scorecard." Davies came to the Ocean Club on Thursday, which was sunny and balmy for much of the day, just to get some practice. She had been at the Atlantis Resort for so much of the week, and she stopped going to casinos "because I dont win anymore." Sizing up the situation at the course, Davies said the LPGA Tour "made the best of a bad lot." "Youve got all these people working so hard to get the course ready," she said. "Its different, dont get me wrong. But I agree with them. Lets play. ... It takes a lot away if its not official. And its the same for everybody." It also put new meaning in the LPGA Tours slogan: "See why its different out here." Bruce Smith Jersey .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Buffalo Bills Jerseys . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Customized/ . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. Jim Kelly Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Andre Reed Jersey . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. Lewis Hamilton says there have been some uncomfortable moments at Mercedes this year and incidents that he felt were a little bit odd.?Hamilton finished second to teammate Nico Rosberg this season after the two Mercedes drivers went head to head for the title.There were a number of flashpoints during the season, including collisions in Barcelona and Austria, as well as a series of reliability issues on Hamiltons car.Ahead of the final race of the season, Hamilton hinted that he was still dwelling on a pre-season decision by senior management to switch three mechanics from either side of the garage, but said those outside the team would have to buy his book in 10 years time to find out what really happened.At the final race itself two days later, he directly ignored orders from the pit wall as he backed Rosberg into the chasing pack in one last effort to swing the championship his way.Speaking after the dust had settled on the Abu Dhabi race, Hamilton again hinted that he had not been entirely comfortable with everything that happened behind the scenes at Mercedes in 20166.ddddddddddddTheres been incidents that feel a little bit odd, Hamilton said. There have definitely been some uncomfortable scenarios, but I should expect that and I think that comes with the territory when you compete as you do at the front sometimes.Its a tricky scenario for a team if they have got two drivers fighting for a championship, but what doesnt kill you only makes you stronger. From those experiences you learn a lot about different characters and about yourself even more so.Following the final race of the season there was a rumour in the paddock that Hamilton threatened to quit Mercedes following his collision with Rosberg in Barcelona, but he was not willing to talk on the subject.Im just looking forwards, so dwelling and thinking about past experiences is not something I need to do. Now Ive just got to focus on next season. The rumours have already started and its interesting where they come from. The focus now is on next year. ' ' '