Local golf fans took advantage of warm weather and clear skies to watch professional golfers show them how it’s done at the Lawrence Futures Classic … until the rain came.

While tour officials did not release official attendance statistics, there were more fans for Saturday’s second round at Eagle Bend Golf Course than Friday’s opening round.

But most of the crowd scattered after a brief rain shower in the middle of the afternoon that was followed by gusting winds.

One of those fans was Shane Owens of Lawrence. He said he came out early in the day to see his first professional golf tournament.

An avid golfer himself, Owens said he was impressed with the talent on the course.

“I’m just a local golfer, and I like to do it as a hobby, so I came out to see these ladies’ sweet swings,” he said.

Richard Lyman stuck it out through the weather and was glad that he did. He plays Eagle Bend regularly and said he was amazed at the difference in talent between the Futures players and everyday duffers.

“It’s great to see the course being played by great players. These players are really good,” Lyman said. “When you watch the pros hit the ball, you get the idea of what the golf swing is supposed to look like. You don’t see that every day around here.”

Willie Amison watched from the 10th green. He was impressed by the players’ accurate shooting. But did Amison, a solid golfer himself, think he could play with these golfers?

Sarah Huarte of Shingle Springs, Calif., chips from the rough during Saturday's second round.

“There’s no comparison, man. These women are in a totally different league,” Amison said. “I played on the pro-am, and it’s so obvious.”

Debbie Duncan made the trip from Shreveport, La., for a different reason. She walked the course to watch her daughter, Meredith Duncan, participate.

Debbie wanted to be there to support Meredith, a Futures golfer who has bounced back and forth between the Futures Tour and the LPGA Tour.

Meredith was a four-time All-American at Louisiana State University and spurned several opportunities to go pro early to finish her degree.

She had some early success in the LPGA but couldn’t sustain enough money or status to stick.

Then her father, David, died in 2003 from pancreatic cancer.

Debbie said it had been a struggle for she and her daughter to move on without her husband, who got Meredith started in golfing.

“It’s not easy, but Meredith is real tough on the outside,” Debbie said. “Mentally, she’s worried about me. My husband was just my life, he was even her manager. It’s just tough right now.”

It been even tougher for Meredith trying to make a living.

“It’s so different, it’s such a change from the LPGA to this tour,” Debbie said. “I’ve heard it several times, ‘It’s not a money-making tour, it’s a developmental tour.’ But these girls have to make a living.”

Between hotels, travel and entry fees into tournaments, it was difficult to stay above sometimes meager earnings.

But Debbie said she was pleased her daughter still could pursue her dream of getting back to the LPGA Tour, and that the Futures Tour would be the only place she could do it.

“The Futures people who run the tour, they do a great job with what they work with,” Debbie said. “I’m very thankful she can do it, and she enjoys it and that’s the main thing. It’s got to be fun.”