Hurricane Ike leaves small imprint on Valhalla

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Reuters) - Preparations for next week's Ryder Cup were temporarily halted on Sunday as the remnants of Hurricane Ike swept across much of Kentucky.

Winds gusting up to 90 kph blew a television tower on to the 12th green at Valhalla Golf Club, causing minor damage, and the on-course media centre was closed as a safety precaution.

"The wind has had an effect on other items on the course but we do not yet have a full account," tournament director Kerry Haigh told Reuters. "We will have to wait for the wind to die down before we can make a full assessment.

"We have kept everyone on the course safe and the media centre is closed for the protection of the few people who are still setting things up there."

Asked about the damage to the 12th green, Haigh replied: "The television tower behind the green was blown over on to the green and caused a couple of small indentations which have already been corrected and repaired."

Hurricane Ike weakened to a tropical depression as it headed across western Arkansas and further north-east on Sunday after making landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane.

It continued to move rapidly across central Indiana and Kentucky, damaging buildings and homes while also downing powerlines and trees.

Although the high wind warning had expired by mid-afternoon at Valhalla on Sunday, a strong wind advisory was in effect until 8 p.m. EDT.