Sandstorm halts tee off for half the Qatar field

THERE will be an early start to day two of the Qatar Masters this morning after a desert sandstorm restricted play to just three-and-a-half hours at Doha yesterday.

South African James Kingston, first man out at 6.25am on day one, 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 38mph and when officials tested the conditions, balls were being blown around on five of the most exposed greens.

At 3.30pm it was decided to call off the action for the day and try for a resumption at 6.30am today.

Half the 150-strong field, including favourite Padraig Harrington and pneumonia-suffering Ryder Cup team-mate Paul McGinley, had not even teed off.

Ian Woosnam failed to make the most of an opening eagle in the testing conditions before the stoppage.

Referee Andy McFee said: “There was a period when the sand was so bad I was virtually having to close my eyes out there. There was a definite need for sunglasses and I was wondering if we wanted the players on the course even though the visibility had improved and the wind was not too bad.”

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.

Phillip Price, the only other member of last September’s Ryder Cup team taking part, parred his first 10 holes.