You are in > manchester.com  > News > Fog delays start of Matchplay

Golf

Fog delays start of Matchplay

11/10/2007

Heavy fog across Surrey has delayed the start of the World Matchplay Championships at Wentworth golf course.

Play had been due to start at 08:15 BST this morning with defending champion Paul Casey teeing off in his match against American Jerry Kelly.

However the poor visibility at the course has meant the players have been forced to hold off before heading out on their first 18 holes, which Casey feels will mark an explosive start to the tournament.

"It will be a fierce match, as he's an aggressive player. Hopefully that will result in a few fireworks," Casey said.

"But I get on well with Jerry, he's a great guy, so we'll have a lot of fun out there too."

Casey's match is set to be followed out on the course by former US Open champion Retief Goosen and current US Open champion Angel Cabrera.

England's Justin Rose and the United States' Hunter Mahan go off next, followed by Goosen's South African countryman Rory Sabbatini and Denmark's Soren Hansen.

The Open champion, Ireland's Padraig Harrington, faces another Dane Anders Hansen, before Sweden’s Henrik Stenson takes to the course against a Matchplay debutant, American Woody Austin.

Another Swede Niclas Fasth meets Argentina's Andres Romero, before the final pairing of two Matchplay veterans - South Africa's Ernie Els, now a local resident at Wentworth, and Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.

The final match was set to tee off at 09:39 BST although this will now be put back because of the inclement conditions.

If the fog does not clear until later, the first round of the Matchplay could be concluded tomorrow, although the organisers have stressed they would like to stick to the original timeframe as closely as possible.