CASTLE STUART, July 9, 2011 (AFP) - The second round of the now 54-hole Scottish Open will resume at 7am (0600GMT) on Sunday morning, officials announced, after play was abandoned on Saturday.
After a day of heavy rain and freak storms over Castle Stuart Golf Links near Inverness, tournament officials were left with no choice but to abandon attempts to resume round two.
One final attempt was made at 7.30pm (1830GMT), but when the players returned to their positions on the course, there was too much water on the course.
CASTLE STUART, July 8, 2011 (AFP) - The Scottish Open was thrown into confusion on Friday when officials had to suspend play due to storms with 78 players yet to complete their second rounds.
Former U.S. Open champion, Graeme McDowell and Scottish pair Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford were the early clubhouse leaders on 11 under par but world numbers one and two, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, were among those who will have to return to the Inverness course early on Saturday to complete their second round.
There had been a two-hour delay mid-afternoon but just as players returned to the course shortly after 5pm, the weather deteriorated forcing officials to call them back again to the clubhouse.
Three players, Sweden's Peter Hanson, England's Barry Lane and Welshman Jamie Donaldson, had moved to eight under par and three from the lead when played was halted just after 7pm local time.
Donald and Westwood were each at seven under par with Donald having nine second round holes to complete and Westwood seven.
McDowell, winner of the event three years ago at its previous home in Loch Lomond, equalled the new Castle Stuart course record with an eight under par 64.
"It was a good day's work and when I got to the golf course this morning and we realised conditions were going to be easy, it was a matter of going out there and taking advantage," said McDowell who carded an eagle and six birdies.
"I made a good birdie on 10 and a good par save on 11, and I eagled 12 and birdied 13 to be four-under par through four holes. That was a dream start.
"But it's like any links course in the world, if you don't get wind, if you don't get the elements, it will be taken apart, and that was kind of how it was this morning."
Jamieson continues to impress in his European Tour rookie season, the 27-year-old Glaswegian recording two eagles in the space of three holes in his 66.
"I started my round with a bogey again like I did yesterday, but it was nice to come back with four birdies in a row from my second, and then I chucked in a couple of eagles," he said.
"This is my first full season on the Tour and every week you play on a different golf course with different conditions."
Apart from chasing a first Tour victory, Jamieson is also on target to secure the last remaining place in next week's British Open.
Fellow Scot Lawrie also birdied four holes in succession from his fourth hole as the reigning Andalucian Open winner carded a 64 to sit two shots off the lead, alongside double Major-winning Angel Cabrera of Argentina who also shot a 64.
World number six Phil Mickelson capped his round of 67 with an 11th hole eagle to finish on four under.
Leading and selected second round scores in the Scottish Open on Thursday (par 72; GBR/IRL unless stated):
Note: 78 players to complete second round on Saturday after storms caused suspension of play.
133 - Peter Whiteford 67-66, Graeme McDowell 69-64, Scott Jamieson 67-66
134 - Jose Manuel Lara (ESP) 68-66
135 - Paul Lawrie 71-64, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 69-66, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 71-64
136 - Christian Nilsson (SWE) 68-68, Justin Rose 69-67, David Dixon 71-65, Markus Brier (AUT) 68-68, Matt Kuchar (USA) 70-66, Padraig Harrington 69-67
137 - Romain Wattel (FRA) 70-67, Ernie Els (RSA) 68-69, Michael Jonzon (SWE) 69-68, Rafael Echenique (ARG) 69-68, David Lynn 70-67
138 - Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (FRA) 72-66, Soren Kjeldsen (DEN) 69-69, David Horsey 71-67, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 69-69, Simon Dyson 68-70
139 - Christian Cevaer (FRA) 71-68, Hennie Otto (RSA) 72-67, Marc Warren 67-72, Oskar Henningsson (SWE) 68-71, Fredrik Andersson Hed (SWE) 73-66, Bradley Dredge 71-68
140 - Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 70-70, Damien McGrane 73-67, Ross Fisher 72-68, Simon Wakefield 74-66, Lee Slattery 68-72, Lloyd Saltman 70-70, Phil Mickelson (USA) 73-67, Matt Haines 71-69, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 66-74
Selected
141 - Anthony Kang (USA) 72-69, Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 74-67
143 - Brandt Snedeker (USA) 77-66
144 - James Kingston (RSA) 70-74, Tetsuji Hiratsuka (JPN) 75-69
145 - Bryden Macpherson (AUS) 73-72
146 - Keith Horne (RSA) 72-74
147 - Danny Lee (NZL) 76-71, Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 78-69, Scott Strange (AUS) 78-69
155 - Mark Brown (NZL) 77-78
158 - Sandy Lyle 79-79