Friday's play stopped by wind and rain

Second-round play at the Volvo Masters was abandoned on Friday due to heavy rain and strong winds.

The scheduled start was initially put back by four hours, following torrential overnight rain on an already sodden course, and organisers had to delay it further as winds gusted up to 80 kph.

However steady rain fell throughout the afternoon at Valderrama, leaving the par-72 layout waterlogged and forcing tournament officials to abandon play for the day at 1400 GMT.

Weather-permitting, rounds two and three will take place on Saturday, with the 57-strong field split into three-ball groupings with a two-tee start.

Although the weekend outlook is favourable, with dry and sunny spells expected, tournament director David Garland does not expect the third round to be completed on Saturday.

"With darkness falling between 6.15 pm (1715 GMT) and 6.45 pm, that gives us three, maybe three and a half, hours of play with the leaders going off at 3.15 pm in the third round," Garland told a news conference.

"We might have an hour to an hour and half of play to finish on Sunday before a redraw and a two-tee start for the final round."

Although Garland added that he was "very confident" the European Tour's season-ending event would be completed on Sunday, he did not rule out the possibility of a Monday finish.

"We've had nearly nine inches of rain at Valderrama since Saturday and I can't think of another course on this coast here that could take this much water," he said.

Three trees on the course were blown down in Friday's gusting winds, Garland added, along with three scoreboards and a number of signs.

Wednesday's pro-am had to be reduced to nine holes following torrential rain earlier in the week and preferred lies were in operation on the fairways for Thursday's first round.

Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson leads the tournament by two shots after the opening round, having fired a brilliant eight-under-par 64 in tugging winds at Valderrama.

Alone in second is Denmark's Anders Hansen, who produced a blemish-free 66, while Spaniard Carlos Rodiles is a further two strokes back in third.

Twice U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern are tied for fourth on 70.

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie, who shared last year's title with Bernhard Langer after they had squared the first two extra holes in gathering gloom, is among a group of eight players on 71.

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