Rain forces a rethink at Gleneagles

Heavy and prolonged rain yesterday brought a change to the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles for the start of the Johnnie Walker Championship today.

The 12th hole, which after last year’s event and with the 2014 Ryder Cup in mind was reduced from a 503-yard par five to a 445-yard par four, had its tee moved forward 165 yards because of the condition of the fairway.

That made it a driveable par four – and in the very first group of the day big-hitting Italian Emanuele Canonica hit his tee shot to 25 feet and made the eagle putt.

Canonica had started his round with a bogey four on the 10th, however, and by dropping another shot at the 13th he returned to level par, one behind the early leaders.

Six players were at one under, including Sunday’s winner Simon Dyson and defending champion Gregory Havret, while Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie came back from a birdie at the 10th with a birdie on the next, but had to settle for “only” a par on the shortened 12th.