Rain delays Bob Hope Classic

Heavy rains in California forced the postponement of the second round of the Bob Hope Classic today.

More than an inch of rain fell on the Palm Springs area, making the four competitive courses unplayable.

PGA Tour officials originally pushed back the start of today's second round by two hours, but more rain fell on the desert courses and the second round is now scheduled to begin tomorrow at 10.30am local time (4.30pm Irish time).

The postponement marked the first time since 1980 that a round of the Bob Hope Classic was postponed or suspended due to rain.

American Shane Bertsch shot a 10-under-par 62 yesterday to take the first-round lead at the tournament, which is played over five rounds of stroke play in a pro-am format with a professional partnering amateur teams of three on four different par-72 courses.