Fridays play washed out by storms

Thunderstorms have caused the loss of a whole day's play in the Italian Open and the event has been reduced to 54 holes.

Two players had not finished their first rounds because of bad light on Thursday night and no further play was possible at all on Friday because of electrical activity.

The storms began at 0200 GMT Friday. Spanish tournament director Miguel Vidaor said: "The thunderstorms rotated around the area all day, so no play was possible.

"Regrettably, that also meant, after consultation with the sponsors, that we have had to cut to 54 holes."

England's Ian Poulter leads the event by three shots after coming close to the European Tour's first ever score of 59 before suffering an attack of nerves on the final two holes on Thursday and carding a 61.

Play will begin at 0545 GMT on Saturday.

This year's Algarve Portuguese Open was cut to just 36 holes because of high winds at Val de Lobo where Swede Carl Petterson beat Briton David Gilford in a playoff for the title.

Last year's Volvo Masters, won by Ireland's Padraig Harrington, was cut to 54 holes.

Harrington now has a huge task on Italy to try to get something out of the penultimate tournament of the year, in which he hopes to go past current European rankings leader Retief Goosen.

He is 10 strokes adrift of Poulter and trails Goosen - who is playing in the U.S. Tour Championship this week - by $50,000.

Harrington and several players making last-ditch attempts to keep their cards for next season were happy to hear there would decrease in prize money here despite the event being curtailed.

The 1998 Italian Open was also reduced to 54 holes.

Leader Poulter heads into the second round with a three-stroke cushion over compatriot Miles Tunnicliff and Anders Hansen of Denmark.

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