The Principal Charity Classic’s fight with bad weather sent Tom Lehman and his daughter to Jordan Creek Town Center, reported former Des Moines Register golf writer Rick Brown, who writes for the tournament.

Brown wrote that Lehman, who held a two-stroke lead, felt like a place kicker in a football game who was getting iced with a timeout by the opposing coach. 

As an aside, there seems to be two things many visitors to Des Moines ask, especially the younger ones. “Where is Jordan Creek?” and “Where is Zombie Burger?”

Shortly after Lehman told his daughter, Rachael, who happens to be his caddy, to hurry up and pay for the makeup she had picked, Lehman got the call as he was driving back to Wakonda Club. The third round was called off. He had won the Principal title on the same course where he won the Drake Relays tournament when he was with the University of Minnesota. 

The Principal tournament has become one of those major events that show off Greater Des Moines’ ability to deliver in ways we are in danger of taking for granted.

Friday’s attendance of 26,465 set a record, Brown reported. The golfers carded the lowest one-day combined score that day, and Lehman ended up setting a two-day record.

Lehman’s record 36-hole score of 131 (66-65), 13 under par, gave him a two-shot victory over Bernhard Langer, Scott Parel, Glen Day and Woody Austin. It was the tournament’s first weather-shortened run in 18 years. Lehman joked about finally finding a way to beat Langer. 

Friday’s attendance was a first-round record. Another 26,431 were on hand Saturday. They saw the field average 70.519 shots on Friday, a record low at Wakonda. It lasted one day. The field broke it by averaging 70.195 strokes on Saturday.