AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP HIT BY STORMS

WEEKLEY OPENS UP TWO-SHOT LEAD 

WITH A SIX-UNDER 66

AUSTRALIAN PGA NEWS RELEASE
The first round of the Australian PGA Championship being played at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast has been suspended.
With the course barraged by lightning storms the first suspension occurred at 1.30pm (local time) with players back underway at 4.30pm.
Tournament organisers were hoping to continue play until last light. However, more storm cells saw the day's play suspended until 5.30am on Friday.
Playing in the morning field, American Boo Weekley is the current clubhouse leader with a six-under-par 66 - and was thankful to have completed  his first round.
Weekley's included an eagle 2 on the par-4 17th. It's been a long time since a US player has won the Australian PGA Championship; Hale Irwin was the last in 1978.
"I played well today. I struck the ball solid, kept it in play, hit one bad drive and got away with it. It felt like it all came together today," said Weekley.
"The way the weather is right now, it's hot and steamy and feels like it's going to rain again."
Renowned for his fun loving attitude, the serious side of Weekley was on display in his post-round interview today.
"I wrote down I wanted top-20 every event, just to get myself, 'hey I done something when I was over here',  to actually try and prove myself a little bit," said Weekley who has had two tied 15th finishes.
"If I win I win, if I don't, I don't but my goal was to come over here and have a top-20 finish in every event I played"
Of those who have completed their first rounds, Weekley leads by two from defending champion Adam Scott, David Small, Wade Ormsby, James Marchesani and Craig Hancock, all on the four-under 68 mark.
South Australian Tom Bond and South Korean-born, Melbourne-based, Jin Jeong were the lowest men on course when play was suspended.
The pair are four-under-par with Jeong having completed 12 holes and Bond nine.
Meanwhile, Marc Leishman is three-under-par with four holes to play but believes  the disruption won't adversely affect his momentum.
"It's better than dodging lightning bolts out there," said Leishman of the suspension in play.
"It was getting reasonably close so I think they did the right thing. It's very easy for it (weather delays) to get to you but I feel like I've done it enough times now that it doesn't bother me."

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
(Several players still to complete rounds)
par 72. players from Australia unless stated
66 Boo Weekley (USA)
68 David Small (NZ), Adam Scott, Wade Ormsby, James Merchesani, Craig Hancock
69 Jarrod Lyle, Brad Kennedy, Scott Strange, Nathan Green, Neven Basic, Ratchapol Jantavara (Thailand) 

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