Heavy fog today delayed the start of the £1.8 million sterling Linde German Masters in Cologne this morning.
Play was due to start at 7.50 a.m. local time, but visibility at Gut Larchenhof was reduced to a few yards. Play later began at 9.30 a.m., a delay of one hour and 40 minutes, meaning it is unlikely the first round will be completed on schedule today.
Nine of Europe's Ryder Cup team are among the high-class field chasing the £315,000 first prize, but captain Sam Torrance pulled out this morning with a back injury.
Colin Montgomerie is keen to prove his fitness here this week after the latest recurrence of his back trouble at the NEC Invitational in Seattle three weeks ago. Padraig Harrington was given the all-clear after a scan on his injured ankle last week.
Thomas Bjorn pulled out of the pro-am with a neck injury, but the Dane has not withdrawn from the tournament proper and, as one of the later starters, has until late this afternoon to recover.
With bright sunshine burning away the early fog and less rough than 12 months ago, conditions were ideal for good scoring on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.
Former US Open champion Retief Goosen took full advantage with birdies at his first two holes and the South African was joined in the early lead at two under by Kent's Jamie Spence who picked up shots at the third and fourth.
A large group of players were on one under including last week's winner Robert Karlsson and Dublin's Paul McGinley.
Torrance's withdrawal meanwhile had been a mixed blessing for the man who replaced him, Sweden's Henrik Nystrom, who started with a quadruple bogey eight on the 10th, his opening hole.