A sandstorm suspended play in the Qatar Masters after three-and-a-half-hours' play in Doha today. South African James Kingston, first man out at 6.25am, was leading the field at three-under-par after 13 holes when visibility was cut to about 100 yards in places and the players were called in off the course. The local Shamal wind normally only blows hard after lunch, but it was there for the start of the £936,000 event.
Stephen Browne and Graham Spring were the only Irish players to start this morning, with both players halted by the halfway stage. Browne slipped to two-over-par after eight holes, while Spring was one shot further adrift after nine following two bogeys and a double bogey at the par-three third.
At 2.00pm local time, 11.00am GMT, the second-half of the field, including Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and six other Irish players, were given leave to return to their hotels. Tournament director David Williams - in charge as David Probyn had flown home overnight because of a family illness - said there was no chance of them starting their bids for the £156,055 first prize before tomorrow.
The 75 players who had teed off, however, were still waiting to see if they could get back on the course, but with balls being blown on the more exposed greens any resumption could still be some time away. At 3.30pm, with the wind gusting up to 38mph, play was called off for the day and the players were told to be ready to resume at 6.30am tomorrow.
Filed by Shane Murray
