Rose right on leaders' heels

England’s Justin Rose continued his good form across the Atlantic with a first-round five-under-par 67 at the rain-interrupted HP Classic of New Orleans.

Paul Azinger, one of the USPGA Tour’s top players before being diagnosed with cancer in 1993, showed some of his old form with a 66 to share the lead.

Following a rain delay of almost three-and-a-half hours, play was suspended due to darkness with 75 players still on the course.

Gene Sauers also carded a 66, while Robert Damron and Chris DiMarco were on the course at six-under when play was halted. Damron has one hole to play and DiMarco four.

Azinger, ranked second on the money list in 1993 before undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy for lymphoma in his right shoulder, returned to the Tour full-time in 1995 and ended a seven-year victory drought at the 2000 Hawaii Open.

But he suffered with back and hip injuries for most of last season and slumped to 169th on the money list, making the cut just 10 times in 26 starts.

Sauers, 42, has not won since capturing the 2002 Air Canada championship – his third career PGA Tour title.

He has missed the cut in seven of 10 starts this season, although the Savannah, Georgia native tied for fifth at Doral.