In what has become one of the most devastating weather events to hit Texas in recent years, relentless overnight rainfall on July 4–5 triggered flash floods that swept through the Texas Hill Country, claiming at least 27 lives, including nine children. Most casualties occurred in Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River exploded to historic levels, rising over 26 feet in just 45 minutes, wiping out roads, homes, and campsites in towns like Hunt, Ingram, and Kerrville.
Search-and-rescue teams worked through the night, pulling people from trees and rooftops. Over 800 residents were rescued or evacuated amid what officials declared a “mass-casualty event.” Among the hardest-hit sites was Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp near Hunt that was inundated as the river surged far beyond its banks. As images of devastation circulated, PGA Tour professional Will Zalatoris took to Instagram with a brief but heartfelt post: “A place my wife and many friends attended as kids. Thoughts and prayers to everyone down there ”
Good morning. Please keep Texas in your prayers—especially the flood victims, the missing, their families, and the first responders searching for them.
Tragedy in Texas: Flash floods along the Guadalupe River have taken 13 lives. 23 young Christian girls from Camp Mystic are… pic.twitter.com/nH5QJz9Mc6
— ꜱǫʏʟᴀʀᴋ (@Kralyqs) July 5, 2025
The 28-year-old golfer, currently sidelined after undergoing a second back surgery in May, shared a reposted graphic reading “Praying for Mystic,” reflecting a personal connection to the flood-hit camp. Zalatoris, known for his runner-up finishes in multiple majors and his 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship victory, has deep roots in Texas and continues to resonate with fans for his openness during personal and regional hardships. His message, though brief, echoed a broader reality that golf is not immune to the forces of nature.
Golf vs. flooding in the past 10 years
While this week’s Texas disaster did not cancel any active PGA Tour events, weather-related disruptions have been a recurring theme for golf tournaments worldwide, including several in just the last ten years. In 2015, historic rains forced The Open Championship at St Andrews to halt play on Round 2’s morning as fairways flooded in what local media called a “torrent…gushing down Golf Place.” It was a rare instance of the game’s oldest major grinding to a full stop.
A year later, the 2016 Greenbrier Classic was canceled outright after extreme flooding from record rainfall rendered the Old White TPC course “beyond reasonable repair.” This stood out as one of only a few PGA Tour cancellations in decades. Storm surge from Hurricane Irma devastated the 2017 Senior Azalea Invitational in Charleston, forcing organizers to cancel after saltwater flooded greens and ruined irrigation systems. In Europe, the 2022 Czech Masters lost its third round to flooding at Albatross Golf Resort, shortening the event to 54 holes.
Australia has been hit hard, too. In January 2024, torrential rain and the overflowing Yarra River shut down the WPGA Melbourne International at Latrobe Golf Club. Two months later, Cyclone Alfred prompted the cancellation of the Australian WPGA Championship in Queensland due to forecasted flooding. Asia wasn’t spared either. The Toto Japan Classic in late 2024 lost a day of play to Tropical Storm Kong-rey, and heavy rain flooded Durban CC during the 2025 Investec South African Open, cutting the final round and forcing a playoff to determine the winner.
These cases underscore that while golf prides itself on tradition and endurance, nature still holds the final say. Zalatoris’s quiet message—linking sport, personal memory, and community loss—reminds fans that even elite athletes are deeply tied to the places they call home.
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