This week’s stop on the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica will be shortened to 54 holes – but it has nothing to do with weather.
The Lexus Peru Open in the capital city of Lima will conclude after the third round Saturday because the country of Peru is conducting a national census on Sunday. With it comes a mandate requiring everyone on Peruvian soil, including both citizens and tourists, to remain indoors from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I don’t know how exactly they’re going to do it, because this place is big and the traffic is really incredible,” said Joseph Winslow, who is in the field.
Peru last conducted a full census in October 2007, and the country’s current population is estimated at more than 31 million. Roads will be blocked and air traffic halted in the country during the nine-hour window, while all shops and restaurants will be closed as officials conduct the census.
The Lima event is the fifth of nine tournaments during the fall portion of the LatinoAmerica schedule, which will conclude in December in Miami.
According to Winslow, Tour officials had been in contact with players about the census situation for several weeks, and players were worried that the mandate might prevent them from leaving the country Sunday night, with next week’s event more than 2,500 miles away in Uruguay.
“I know that was a big concern for everyone was like, can we even get out?” Winslow said. “But they said there would be no issue. Kind of a weird one.”
Source: Internet
