Less than an hour's play was possible at the Telecom Italian Open in Milan today before heavy rain forced a delay. And it was so bad that at lunchtime it was announced that the earliest possible resumption was 5pm (local time).

The suspension did not quite come soon enough for England's Richard Finch, however, after he had moved into a tie for third place. In the first group out Finch, joint runner-up in the event two years ago, birdied the long 10th to reach seven under and parred the next two holes as conditions worsened.

But they were told to carry on and the 29-year-old pushed his drive down the 13th into the lake. Seconds later came the siren telling the players to return to the clubhouse.

Overnight leader Joakim Backstrom, whose 10 under opening 62 broke the Tolcinasco course record by one, was among the later starters, while second-placed Markus Brier was just about to tee off again when the hold-up
came.
 
Japan's Taichi Teshima had been third on his own following a 64, but he bogeyed the second.

Peter Lawrie leads the Irish challenge on four under after an opening round 68.  David Higgins and Gary Murphy finished one under while Paul McGinley is a shot further back on level par.

Three players unconcerned by the weather were former Ryder Cup star Phillip Price, American Notah Begay and Spain's Santiago Luna. Not one of them had broken par in the first round and they all withdrew, Price with a wrist injury, Begay because of a recurrence of back trouble and Luna with a chest infection.

Last week's Spanish Open in Madrid was badly affected by rain. It took until Saturday afternoon for the first two rounds to be completed and the bulk of the third round as well as the closing 18 holes had to be played on the Sunday.

South African Charl Schwartzel won that and he was among those affected this morning. Schwartzel had played just one hole - a par on the 10th to remain five under - before the suspension.