Fog delays Belfry start

The start of the third round in the Quinn Direct British Masters at The Belfry was delayed for 28 minutes by fog today.

But halfway leaders Mark Foster and Robert-Jan Derksen were still scheduled to tee off at 2.30pm as officials decided to reduce the time gap between all the groups.

Former English amateur champion Foster and Dutchman Derksen were seven under par, one ahead of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sam Walker, Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Swede Martin Erlandsson, the player who scored a course-record 63 in the opening round.

Spaniard Juan Parron quickly improved from three over to level par when play did get under way, grabbing birdies at the second, third and fifth.

England’s Simon Wakefield, who lost a play-off to Scot Marc Warren for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles earlier this month, birdied the first three holes after also making the halfway cut on the limit, but then bogeyed the next.

Eighteen-year-old Rory McIlroy, in his first professional event, was another on three over when he resumed and The Open silver medal winner birdied the long third.