GOLF/Qatar Masters: Just three-and-a-half hours' play was possible on the opening day of the Qatar Masters yesterday after a desert sandstorm hit Doha.
South African James Kingston, the first man out, was leading the field at three under par after 13 holes when visibility was cut to about 100 yards in places and the players were called in off the course.
After a couple of hours it was possible to see far enough, but the wind was gusting up to 38 m.p.h. and when officials tested the conditions, balls were being blown around on five of the most exposed greens. It was decided to call off the action for the day, with an early resumption this morning.
Half the 150-strong field, including favourite Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Damien McGrane, had not even teed off.
The break will have been of benefit to McGinley - he was diagnosed with pneumonia earlier in the week and withdrew from Wednesday's pro-am after nine holes because of feeling unwell in the 100-degree heat.
Another Irishman, Stephen Browne, was two over after eight holes after he bogeyed the par-three third and dropped another shot at the seventh.
Ian Woosnam, starting on the back nine, had failed to make the most of an opening eagle in the testing conditions before the stoppage.
Woosnam, joint third in the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday and runner-up in Qatar three years ago, sank a 15-foot putt for a three at the 510-yard 10th after a brilliant approach.
But bogeys followed at the 13th and 14th and then the Welshman missed two golden opportunities to get back under par.
First he three putted the 306-yard 16th after driving the green, and then he had to settle for par again at the 581-yard 18th, also playing downwind, after going long and left with his second shot.
As the storm approached Woosnam, one of the few stars appearing in an event hit by 50 withdrawals with war in Iraq looming, dropped another stroke at the 429-yard second.
Kingston kicked off with a birdie four, reached the turn in 34 and then birdied the 11th to nose in front of England's Phil Golding, Swedes Henrik Stenson and Fredrik Andersson and Belgian Nicolas Vanhootegem.
LEADING SCORES
Three under - J Kingston (3 holes, RSA).
Two under - P Golding (13, Eng), H Stenson (13, Swe), F Anderson (12, Swe), N Vanhootegem (6, Bel).
One under - S Delagrange (13, Fra), T Norret (13, Den), M Maritz (12, RSA), M Ilonen (12, Fin), R Sterne (12, RSA), MA Jiminez (10, Spa), G Owen (10, Eng), C Schwartzel (9, RSA), D Carter (8, Eng), S Wakefield (6, Eng), D Dixon (5, Eng).
Level - H Bjornstad (13, Nor), F Bisazza (13 Ita), P Nyman (11, Swe), W Bennett (10, Eng), L James (10, Eng), J-A Larsen (10, Nor), P Price (8, Wal), D Park (9, Wal), P Fowler (8, Aus), N Colsaerts (8, Bel), M Ljundberg (8, Swe), S Khan (7, Eng), A Tadini (6, Ita).
Other scores: One over: I Woosnam (11, Wal). Two over: G Murphy (8, Ire).
