38th Ryder Cup
Venue: Celtic Manor, Newport Date: 1-3 October Starts: 0745 BST on Friday Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live & online, live text commentary online & daily highlights on BBC TWO. Live on Sky Sports 1
The opening morning of the Ryder Cup has been suspended because of appalling conditions at Celtic Manor.
Persistent heavy rain left many parts of the course waterlogged and with no sign of the conditions improving, play was called off at 0943 BST.
Organisers are expected to make a further announcement at 1300 BST.
The event began at 0745 BST with standing water on the course and it was called off with Europe leading in three of the four fourballs matches.
The leading match of Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer against the United States duo of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were on the sixth fairway when play was halted.
Chief Ryder Cup referee John Paramor told BBC Radio 5 live: "Being matchplay, we leave a lot up to the players themselves.
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"They were continuing but it got to such a stage where even with all the resources we have here it was just too much. We were fighting an uphill battle.
"We were hoping for a break in the weather, it was there for a few minutes, but unfortunately those lovely breaks filled in and it's turned out to be pretty strong rain again.
"It's a very strong storm system that is affecting us and it can change but we are looking at early afternoon to start again. That is the indication.
"We will be looking at possibly playing on Sunday morning now and we have the ability to go to Monday but hopefully the weather will improve and we can get going again."
The delay raises the possibility that the opening day foursomes, scheduled for the afternoon, will not finish on Friday.
And with no further announcement expected until 1300 BST, there are now doubts as to whether the event can be completed on Sunday.
With rain falling all morning and the course getting increasingly sodden, there was no choice but to call off play as the players tried to plot their way through pools of standing water all over the fairways and greens.
And with Europe making a fine start to the opening morning, skipper Colin Montgomerie was left ruing the weather conditions.
"We are up in three matches, it's been a super start and I just hope we can maintain this momentum," he told BBC Radio 5 live.
"I heard on the radio that the weather is to improve by two o'clock but that does not give us enough time to finish this and the foursomes.
 Ground staff at Celtic Manor try to clear the course of water
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"We are in this horrible position of not finishing the two rounds today. The forecast is better for Saturday and Sunday so hopefully we can make up this time.
"It is a great pity, Friday's forecast was always ugly and unfortunately it has come to fruition. It's a fantastic shame for everybody."
Mickelson and Johnson started the event earlier this morning with the home European support in full voice despite the dreadful conditions.
Johnson had the honour of hitting the first shot, the 26-year-old rookie seemingly feeling the pressure as he sliced his drive.
Mickelson and Johnson soon found themselves behind, with Westwood carding a birdie at the second while the English world number three produced a wonderful bunker shot at the fourth to increase the advantage to two.
Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are one up after four holes in what is shaping up to be a fierce contest against 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.
A par at the first was enough for the Europeans to take the lead only for Cink to respond with a monster putt at the third which squared the match.
However, a bogey for Cink at the fourth handed the advantage back to the Europeans.
Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher are leading world number one Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker after three holes.
The Europeans won the first hole while a Woods birdie at the second squared the match before Poulter nailed a 30ft putt at the third to go one up.
Rookies Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton are providing one bright spot for the United States as they are two up on Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington after two holes.
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