Austrian Open gets underway after rain delay

Michael Campbell's miserable season continued today when the rain-delayed Bank Austria Open finally got under way in Vienna.

The first day's play was washed out before 11am yesterday without a single shot being struck and the tournament now looks likely to be reduced to 54 holes.

Further light rain was falling at Fontana Golf Club this morning when play began, although it was tomorrow's forecast for more thunder storms which was causing tournament officials the greatest concern.

Campbell was among the early starters as he attempted to find some form ahead of next week's US Open, an event he won in 2005 and still his last strokeplay tournament victory.

The 39-year-old has missed the cut in five of his seven events this season, has not broken 70 all year, twice recorded rounds of 84, is a collective 54-over-par and missed the cut on his last appearance in the BMW Championship at Wentworth with consecutive rounds of 80.

There were no early signs of improvement as the Brighton-based Kiwi, starting on the 10th, opened with four pars before a bogey on the 14th.

At one-over-par he was already four shots behind early leaders Graeme McDowell and Florian Praegant.

McDowell, winner of the Ballantine's Championship in Korea earlier this season, had also started from the 10th and picked up shots at the 11th, 13th and 14th.