Italian
Open
Castelconturbia
Milan, Italy
30th April - 3rd May 1998
Par
72 Prize Money Ł500,000
First
Round Report
First
Round Scores
First
round abandoned because of rain
Milan,
Italy, 30th April 1998 - Rain which left the Castelconturbia course waterlogged
allowed only an hour's play in the first round of the Italian Open on Thursday.
Just
36 players made a start, among them one of the tournament favourites, Spain's
José Maria Olazábal, who played only two shots at his
opening hole.
Another
strongly-fancied contender, Englishman Lee Westwood, got only as far as the tee before
play was called off.
After
a lengthy wait, play was abandoned in late afternoon, and the weather prospects
for the second day are not much better.
Two
years ago at Bergamo, the tournament had a 36-hole final day after interruptions
which left the second round being completed late on the third day.
The
opening day abandonment here delayed ex-European number one Ronan Rafferty's
comeback.
Northern
Ireland's 1989 European rankings winner has been out for over three months with
damaged ligaments and tendons in his left thumb, caused by wear and tear over
a 16-year tour career.
Rafferty,
34, first suffered the injury during the second event of the year, the co-sanctioned
Heineken Classic in Perth, Australia, and has spent since the last week of January
trying to get fit.
He
came to Italy just hoping to get in a minimum of 36 holes to test out the thumb
but found himself with an extra day's wait at least.
"It's
ironic that I decided to come to this event to test out the thumb," said
Rafferty. "I came because the weather was so bad at home I wasn't able to
practise the way I wanted to and now I have to hope I'm going to get some play
in here.
"I
was just about to tee off when play was halted. I had no idea how the thumb was
going to react so now I have another night wondering."
Scot
Sam Torrance was already on his way home when the suspension
was called in the morning.
The
injury-prone veteran hurt his vertebrae on Tuesday, causing him neck and back
problems.
After
trying to hit a practice ball in the morning, Torrance called it a day and handed
over his place in the tournament to England's Andrew Beal, the awaiting first
reserve.
The
unfinished first round is scheduled to resume at 6:30 a.m. GMT on Friday.
