Shane Lowry felt it was "a joke" that play started in a torrential downpour.

The Irishman was in the first group out but was unable to complete the opening hole before play was suspended and, to make matters worse, the 27-year-old and playing partners Ryan Palmer and Bob Sowards were kept out as officials believed the rain would clear quickly.

"It was a joke," said Lowry. "You couldn't see the flight of the ball after 150 yards. We were standing at the back of the first green for an hour, nowhere to sit down, nothing to do."