Rain suspends play again in Madrid
Just seven shots were hit in the Spanish Open in rain-soaked Madrid before play had to be suspended today - and it looked certain to be the first of many stoppages.
The action resumed at 10.40am after a delay of two and a half hours but did so during yet another heavy downpour and less than an hour later the players were called in again.
There was also the threat of thunderstorms for the rest of the day - and for tomorrow and Saturday.
The Centro Nacional course, which was opened by King Juan Carlos last year, had become flooded in places and prospects were not good.
Former Open champions Sandy Lyle and Paul Lawrie shared the lead at one under par with Irishman David Higgins and Japan's Taichi Teshima.
Lyle, in the first group out, birdied the second, while Lawrie, who in July returns to the scene of his triumph at Carnoustie, picked up a four on the long 10th.
That hole, however, had already seen Ulster teenager Rory McIlroy, the reigning European amateur champion and also exempt for the Open championship therefore, set off with a double-bogey seven at the 10th.
Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Ian Woosnam and leading Spanish hope Miguel Angel Jimenez had just teed off but had not completed the 10th.
There had already been one withdrawal, Anthony Wall pulling out with ill-health and being replaced by fellow Englishman Stuart Little.
The storm was so heavy that even with clearer skies once it passed the players were told that play would not resume before 2.30pm and there would be a further announcement at 2pm after conditions had been assessed again.
