Rain Delays Final Round In Azores - 15/09/2007

TORRENTIAL RAIN on Saturday morning meant that the final round of the PGA EuroPro Tour's Verde Golf Azores Championship was delayed by two hours.

An inch of rain fell over Batalha GC in just three hours on Saturday morning, flooding bunkers, greens and fairways and leaving debris from trees across the course.

Work from green staff and PGA EuroPro Tour officials enabled play to begin at 11.15am, with the leading group due to tee off at 3.15pm.

The expected finish time is 8pm GMT.

"I can't praise the staff here at Batalha highly enough," said Senior Tournament Director Kevin Feeney.

"This was one of the worst storms I've seen for a long time but their superb work means that we are able to commence with the final round.

"The weather has cleared - it is sunny with a gentle breeze now and the course is drying out well, so it should make for good playing conditions."