O'Hern & Tunnicliff lead storm hit round

Nick O'Hern continued his double mission to claim his first European Tour title and a British Open place when he took a share of the lead in the storm affected first round at the Diageo Championship on Thursday.

A five-under-par 67 in difficult conditions at the PGA Centenary course earned the Australian left-hander a share of the lead with Britain's Miles Tunnicliff after play was held up for nearly three hours due to poor weather.

Spain's Santiago Luna and 2002 Ryder Cup winner Paul McGinley of Ireland are in third on four under.

Because of the afternoon thunderstorm, six players were unable to complete their rounds, which they will finish on Friday morning -- weather permitting.

The 32-year-old O'Hern has a particular reason for wanting to win his maiden title after finding out his withdrawal from British Open international qualifying at Melbourne's Kingston Heath in January has ruled him out of all pre-qualifying tournaments for next month's major.

"I twisted my knee playing the week before the international qualifier and couldn't play," said O'Hern. "So I asked (the R&A) if I could re-enter the next international qualifier and they said I couldn't.

"They said I couldn't even enter local pre-qualifying.

"It was all a bit bizarre. Apparently David Frost had set a precedent when he was injured playing a qualifier in South Africa and they had had to make the rule.

"I've had to take it on the chin and try to get on with attempting to qualify in other ways.

"There's also a chance of a spot from the Scottish Open and one from the European Open."

He now has to try to qualify by other means. Qualifying from a British Open mini order of merit which has run from last month's TPC of Europe and ends at the European Open in five weeks' time, is his main hope.

The top two in the Open listing and anyone tying for second place, not otherwise qualified, will get British Open starts. O'Hern holds fourth place on the mini order of merit of those not qualified.

O'Hern would be close to sealing his place if he can turn good starts or good finishes into four good rounds, he said.

"It's a matter of putting four rounds together, hoping on your bad day, because you'll have a bad day, you can at least shoot a 70," said O'Hern, who had to combat cold winds and rain in his morning round.

A spokesman for the R&A later said the rule affecting O'Hern was applied across the board for all final qualifying rounds.

"It would not be fair if someone missed the last qualifier at Sunningdale, also because of injury, and then did not have the chance to compete later because there are no others to play in," he said.

"We thought it only right that players who missed the deadline for pulling out of a final qualifier be treated equally no matter when it was scheduled."

Tournament favourite Colin Montgomerie, opting to switch back to a normal putter in preference to the belly-putter, lay two-over-par after seven holes but eased back into contention with a good finish for a 71.

His fellow-Scot Scott Drummond, the surprise winner of the Volvo PGA Championship, shot 73 to be six shots off the lead.

Drummond found out before his round that his management company's request for an invitation to the U.S. Open had been turned down.

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