COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Come rain or come shine, a die-hard golfer will give it their best shot toward the green.

But when lightning strikes -- it's game over.

Several bolts of lighning were spotted over the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs late Thursday afternoon, prompting a bad weather delay during the first round of the 66th U.S. Women's Open.

"Safety is our first priority," Doug Habgood, executive director for the U.S. Women's Open, said. "A lot of people think, 'Oh, it is raining outside, they're not going to be playing.' We are going to play golf until the golf course becomes unplayable. But when there is lightning, that's a different story. We are going to stop."

Golfers and hundreds of fans hung around The Broadmoor waiting for a glimmer of hope to shine through the clouds.

"I'm hopeful," golf fan Carissa Macklin said. "I mean, it is Colorado after all. [The storm] can't last that long right?"

Many waited for more than an hour for officials to decide if play could resume, but hope was lost around 3 p.m. Lighning continued to strike the course, forcing a cancellation of the remainder of the first round of the tournament.

"There are a lot of people in the Broadmoor, it's a packed house," Habgood said. "But that's the great thing about having a resort like this. Everyone at the hotel was on their toes and welcomed everybody in just to make sure they were in a safe place."

For most spectators, the five-star resort is not such a bad spot to take cover.

"It's still a great day off," Macklin said. "I'm at the Broadmoor!"

Even a few golfers enjoyed Thursday's delay.

"It is pretty exciting," 13-year-old Mariel Galdiano, the youngest golfer in the U.S. Women's Open, said. "Even though there's many delays and stuff, it is still pretty fun to hang out with tour players."

Perhaps the first round of the tournament can be called a mulligan.

Thursday's ticket holders will be granted admission to the Open on Friday only. Play will resume at 7:45 a.m.