Beijing: None of the players had completed their opening round of the $ 2.35 million Johnnie Walker Classic and half the field were yet to begin when the first round at Pine Valley Golf Resort and Country Club was called off due to very strong winds here Thursday.
It was also very cold in Beijing as the players struggled all around.
Australian Adam Scott, the world’s number 10, was on top of the leaderboard as he negotiated his opening ten holes in three-under-par.
Only three of the Indians, Amandeep Johl, Harmeet Kahlon and Rahil Gangjee had begun play in their opening round and all of them were over par. Johl was two over for eight holes with bogeys on tenth and 17th, where was when play was stopped. Kahlon was also two over after seven. He bogeyed the first hole and the birdied the second, but then dropped a shot each on fourth and sixth.
Gangjee was struggling at six-over after six holes. He had a bogey-bogey start from the tenth and then double-bogeyed the 12th. His first par came on the 13th and he then again doubled bogeyed the 14th to be six-over after just five holes. He parred the 15th when play stopped.
Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa did not get a chance to start their rounds and will tee off for first round tomorrow.
Tournament officials suspended play when gusts of wind went up to more than 51 kmph causing the ball to move on the greens and making the approach shot very difficult to direct. Play was eventually called off for the day a little later.
Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju, regular on the US Tour, was two-under-par through nine holes while the tournament’s biggest name and two-time former champion Ernie Els of South Africa was one-over after nine.
The 24-year-old Scott, who started from the 10th, birdied the par fives on the 13th and 16th as well as the par four 18th hole as he stayed bogey free before play was halted. His playing partner Sergio Garcia of Spain was one under par.
The third player in the group Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, struggled running up a double bogey and a bogey on the 16th and 17th and was two-over for 10 holes.
