Rain washes out any play on Friday

Incessant heavy rain, which has flooded the Tolcinasco course, caused play to be abandoned at 1130 local time (0930 GMT) on Friday without the Italian Open second round getting under way.

Tournament director Mike Stewart said: "We've had about two and a half inches of rain and it's being added to all the time.

"The forecast isn't good either so there was no likelihood of play today."

Briton Stewart is determined to get a full tournament in if he can, however.

"The intention still is to go for 72 holes but the forecast is a mixed bag so we'll have to wait and see."

The second round will now be played on Saturday and the tournament could spread over into Monday, but Stewart said there will be no chance of playing a full fourth round then and would have to be started on Sunday. Otherwise it will be a 54-hole event.

In an effort to keep the tournament to 72 holes, Stewart added that there was a contingency to reduce the number of players who made the cut.

Usually, 70 players and ties make the halfway cut but this has been reduced to 50 in similar situations in the past.

Stewart continued: "We don't normally schedule for a full round on Monday but if the final round starts on Sunday and doesn't finish then we could finish it off on Monday."

Britain's Mark Roe and 2001 Italian Open winner Gregory Havret of France, after first round eight-under-par 64s, lead New Zealand's Michael Campbell and Swede Christopher Hanell by a stroke.

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