Heavy rain wipes out first days play

The opening round of golf's International in Castle Rock, Colorado, was postponed on Thursday due to heavy rain.

Poor weather had set in early in the morning and failed to let up, finally forcing officials to reschedule first round action for Friday at the Castle Rock Golf Club.

The delay is a setback for world number four Phil Mickelson who is using the $5 million tournament as a final tune-up before heading to Baltusrol, New Jersey next week for the U.S. PGA championship.

The world's top two, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh, are avoiding the event having played their only competitive tune-up ahead of the year's final major a week earlier at the Buick.

Before turning his full attention to the Baltusrol Golf Club, Mickelson will try to bring his game into sharper focus at the International, which will provide some unique challenges.

Played at altitude in the Colorado Rockies under modified Stableford rules, the unique format and conditions make the International a far from ideal warm-up for the year's final major, which will be staged near sea-level not far from the Jersey shores.

But the high risk-reward format is one at which Mickelson has excelled.

The American has won the event twice and finished runner-up twice, and can now earn a badly-needed jolt of confidence and momentum heading to Baltusrol.

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