Players forced to start over in Milan
European Tour officials today took the rare decision to wipe out holes that had already been played at the Italian Open in Milan.
Heavy rain suspended the tournament for almost nine hours on the second day and the Tolcinasco course was deemed fit for a resumption only if placing was allowed on the saturated fairways.
And because there had been 50 minutes’ play without placing at the start of the day that meant telling the 35 who had teed off to start again.
It was great news for Japan’s Taichi Teshima.
Third overnight on eight under-par, he had failed to birdie the relatively easy par-five opening hole and then bogeyed the second, but he could now try to do better on the resumption planned for 5.15pm.
England’s Richard Finch was entitled to mixed feelings. He birdied the 10th to go joint third on seven under, but seconds before the suspension at 8.20am he carved his drive down the 13th into the lake.
The long hold-up made it certain that the second round was going to spill into Saturday for the second week running and leader Joakim Backstrom – he broke the course record with his opening 62 – would not even start before then.
The Swede was one in front of Austrian Markus Brier, who had just teed off when sirens sounded to inform the players to return to the clubhouse.
The most famous example of holes being wiped out was the 1988 Open at Royal Lytham. Rain on the Saturday was so bad it was decided to cancel things and resume afresh the following morning.
The whole of the final round was then played on Monday, with Seve Ballesteros capturing his third title.
