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Slaley
Hall, Northumberland, 12th June 1998 - Spain's
Diego Borrego shot a 4-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead today after the
first round of the rain-delayed Compaq European Grand Prix. Only
half of the 156-man field played the round with the other half scheduled to begin
play early Saturday in the £650,000 European Tour event. England's
Jon Robson, Sweden's Mats Hallberg and Pierre Fulke and Germany's Sven Struver
shot 66s. Officials
went to unusual lengths to start things after all play Thursday was washed out
by torrential rain. After
waiting until mid-afternoon for the rain to stop, play was begun with the Slaley
Hall course reconfigured to a par-69 instead of the usual 72. The
12th, 13th and 18th holes were reduced to par-4s by bringing the tees forward
to assure tee shots would clear bog-like areas on the fairways. Officials
planned to complete the first round Saturday, play the second later in the day
and, weather permitting, conclude the tournament Sunday.
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