Rainy weather continues to dog tour around country

Friday, April 1, 2005 | 9:41 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

DULUTH, Ga. -- Frank Lickliter II camped on the front porch of the TPC at Sugarloaf clubhouse Thursday, resting in a rocking chair and drawing on another cigarette. The golf was lousy, thanks to thunderstorms that brought nearly three inches of rain and nasty lightning, but life was pretty good.

Lickliter had just returned from his favorite local eatery, Matthews' Cafeteria in Tucker, with fellow tour player Omar Uresti and their caddies, a lunch highlighted by chef Mike Greene's special chicken and dumplings.

"The first four bowls were OK, but that fifth one hurt me," Lickliter said. "I'm stuffed and ready for a nap."

There was plenty of time for that, too, here on the PGA Droughtbuster Tour, with eight of 14 tournaments this year dogged by nasty weather. The BellSouth became the latest Thursday with play called for the day at 1:22 p.m. without a shot fired.

Last week at The Players Championship, with a stop-and-start schedule, the locker room was busier than the golf course. Players typically watch TV, eat, make phone calls or entertain each other with stories. When the tales start repeating themselves, Cink said, "You just go to a different group."

Lickliter said he used to play cards, "but that's been outlawed."

Said Cink: "You can play cards. You just can't gamble."

The unheralded Austrian battled windy conditions on the oceanside course to shoot a 34 on the front nine, despite a bogey on the fifth hole. He then got two of his seven birdies on the 10th and 11th holes and finished the back nine with a 31.