Ryder Cup: play to resume at 5.00
Play at the first day of the Ryder Cup will resume this afternoon from 5.00, according to European Tour's chief referee John Paramour.
The US's Dustin Johnson got the fourball matches underway when he teed off at 7.45 this morning, but only two hours of play could be undertaken, and in thoroughly miserable conditions. With heavy rain drenching the Twenty Ten course at Celtic Manor, officials opted to suspend play at around 9:45.
That torrential downpour has continued to haunt the course for much of the day, but with blue skies beginning to appear in Newport the current plan is for the matches to resume in less than an hour.
Earlier this afternoon Graeme McDowell paid tribute to the fans, telling reporters of the rain delay: "It's frustrating for everyone. We've got the dry and the food inside, these guys [the spectators] are the ones that deserve all the respect, we need to give them a big thank-you for standing around and supporting us, you know.
"The reception we got on the first tee this morning was amazing, and it says a lot about what this Ryder Cup is all about."
"I just hope we can get out there this afternoon and give the fans some of what they came here to see, some golf. Earlier they lifted our spirits, we were getting energy from these guys behind us."
Earlier, players including Ian Poulter and a cigar-smoking Miguel Angel Jimenez signed autographs for the fans. Poulter will be amongst those players returning to the course at 5.00, all being well, the 34-year-old paired with Ross Fisher as he seeks to overcome the threat of Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker. So far the English pair are 1up after three holes.
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