Leaders facing mammoth final day after heavy rain hits BMW International Open

25 June 2016 03:53

Heavy rain washed out play at the BMW International Open to leave the leaders facing 36 holes on Sunday's final day in Pulheim.

Just over four hours' play was possible at Golf Club Gut Larchenhof before the downpours forced players off the course, which became heavily waterlogged and prevented any return later in the day as had initially been hoped by organisers.

Leaders Henrik Stenson and Raphael Jacquelin, tied on 11 under along with Kiradech Aphibarnrat, were due to be last out at 1.20pm on Saturday but play was suspended just before noon and abandoned at 4pm local time.

Play will recommence at 7.30am on Sunday with the last third-round group off at 8.42am. The final round then gets under way at 9.30am.

The players will go out in the same order as in round three but in three-balls, with the final group of Stenson, Jacquelin and Aphibarnrat teeing off at the first at 1.30pm.

"In four or five hours there's been nearly 100ml (of rainfall)," tournament director David Williams told europeantour.com

"So it's been pretty constant and on top of what's already a pretty wet golf course.

"The third fairway was unplayable and even if it stopped it would probably be a couple of hours before it would be anything like playable and the forecast is for it not to stop.

"So we then decided we had to try and make some sort of solution for the good of the tournament."

Denmark's Thorborn Olesen is a shot off the lead at 10-under with South African Zander Lombard one further back.

Source: PA