Heavy rains on Paradise Island in the Bahamas have forced the LPGA to alter the 72-hole format for the inaugural Pure Silk-Bahamas Classic.

Thursday’s first round has been officially washed out due to 12 inches of rain that fell on the Atlantis Resort Ocean Course on Tuesday.

Several holes on the course are completely unplayable as a large lake has formed on Nos. 9 and 18. Brittany Lincicome and Stacey Lewis even spent some time fishing on what was part of the golf course on Wednesday. Lewis had a 4-foot Tarpon on the line but it broke the surface and spit the hook.

Maintenance crews are working around the clock to pump water from the course, but it is time consuming to reclaim a fairway from the ocean.

The LPGA Tour recognizes a 36-hole tournament as an official event. In an attempt to at least make this a worthwhile stop on tour, officials have announced that 12 holes will be played on both, Friday and Saturday.

In the worst case scenario another 12 holes would be played on Sunday to make a total of 36 holes and the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic would be qualified as an official event.

All 144 players will play all three days, but only the top-70 and ties will earn official money

The hope is that a full 18 holes can be played on Sunday for fill the television air time, give the sponsors some quality golf and fans something to watch.

The last time an LPGA Tour event was rain-shortened was the 2007 LPGA NW Arkansas Championship which was cut to just 18 holes. It was won by Stacey Lewis who fired a first round 65, while still an amateur and a student at the University of Arkansas.

On the bright side where better to be stranded than the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas.