Rain washes out China LPGA, tournament shortened

24 October 2014 10:01

Heavy rain washed out play at the LPGA Blue Bay Championship in China Friday, while organisers cut the tournament from four rounds to three as they braced for more unsettled weather.

Some players had completed up to six holes before play was suspended just before 12:20pm (0420 GMT), and it was called off for the day just over two hours later.

Those at the top of the leaderboard did not start and are scheduled to begin their second rounds on Saturday morning.

The third round -- now the last of the $2 million tournament at the Jian Lake club in Sanya on the southern island of Hainan -- will be on Sunday.

Jessica Korda of the US remained in the lead with a six-under 66 in the first round, while in second place on 67 were compatriots Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang, Chinese world number five Feng Shanshan, England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff, German Caroline Masson and Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa.

Americans Brittany Lincicome and Austin Ernst were both on two under par for the day on Friday, despite playing only four and six holes respectively.

About two inches of rain fell on the course before play began, organisers said, and more was forecast for Saturday, but Ernst said she had no problems with the conditions.

"You couldn't really tell," she said.

"I kept being aggressive because it was a little soft around the greens."

Source: AFP