The club championships have been cut to three rounds at Wagga Country Club after wild weather forced the abandonment of round two on Sunday.
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The significant rainfall was a welcome relief for most around the region, but it has caused havoc one one of the city's biggest golf events.
While some of the field had completed their round, the second of the event, storms prevented the entire field from finishing.
While rain had hampered players throughout the day, it was lightning that forced players off the course and ultimately changed the format of the championships.
Wagga Country Club manager John Turner said the club had no choice but to cut the championships short.
"We had good numbers but with the weather we had to abandon play late in the afternoon (on Sunday) because of lightning," Turner said.
"The morning field finished play but the afternoon field most of them were probably about halfway through.
"It's safety first with the lightning out there so we called all the players in, reassessed late in the afternoon before deciding to abandon play."
It means the event now becomes a 54-hole competition instead of trying to play catch up for those who were unable to complete their rounds.
"It's the common sense approach," Turner said.
"Being 72 and cutting to 54 would be fair and equitable for all players.
"That's the decision with the terms of play."
There is a five-way tie for top spot heading into the final weekend.
Defending champion Bart Carroll, who is looking to complete a hat-trick of championships successes, former winners Henry Brind and Kurt Pideski plus Luke Chisholm and Darron Watt all finished with a round of 73 on Saturday to share the lead.
Brind has been left to rue what could have been after a disastrous finish to his opening round.
He was two under the card heading onto the 18th on Saturday before a triple bogey on the par three sent him back to the pack.
Due to the lost round, Turner expects it will be a very tight weekend for the conclusion of the championships.
"Obviously with the rain cancelling day two's play of the championships it gives all players a chance," he said.
Darren Guthrie shot the best round of the day with an even par 72, however he isn't taking part in the
Col Rava had the best nett score across the lead with his 64 leading the B grade competition.
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