Major LPGA delay due to lightning and rain

Lightning, followed by torrential rain, at Locust Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, forced the entire first round of the LPGA Championship to be postponed until today.

Organisers hope to complete the opening round today and the second round tomorrow before playing both the third and fourth rounds on Sunday to get the second major of the season back on track.

“The [weather] system we’re in now is 140 miles deep and it’s going to take a good seven hours to get out of here,” said Sue Witters, the lead rules official at the LPGA Championship.

“Then we should get a good break in the middle of the night, hopefully for the golf course to percolate the rain. Friday morning, the last I was told, is supposed to be scattered and spotty, and then we have a big window.

“Saturday is better and Sunday is no rain at all, so Sunday actually is our best day with the most golf that we’ll have to play.”

Meanwhile, Nathan Green fired a 66 to take the early lead at the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis. The Australian carded four birdies in a blemish-free round.

Former US PGA champion David Toms was amongst the chasing pack on three-under after firing three birdies on his back nine and he sat alongside unheralded Americans Nicholas Thompson and Scott Stallings.