RAIN REDUCES CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN TO 54

HOLES, CUT AFTER DELAYED FIRST ROUND

This weekend's Craigmillar Park Open golf tournament has been reduced from 72 to 54 holes after heavy overnight rain flooded the greens at the Edinburgh venue.

To allow the greenkeeping staff to squeejee all the excess water off the greens, the start was delayed by two hours to 9 am. That meant there was not sufficient daylight for the field of 78 players to play the scheduled two rounds today.

The organisers decided that the cut, to decide the 30 players and ties who will play the final two rounds on Sunday, would take place at the end of the first round.

The Craigmillar Park Open is the second 72-hole tournament on the Scottish men's amateur circuit. The first, the Scottish champion of champions' tournament at Leven last week was also hit by the weather. The third and fourth rounds on the Sunday were washed out and Paul Betty (Hayston), the Saturday evening leader, was declared the 2008 champion of champions.