The 144th Open will finish on Monday after further weather delays at St Andrews
Last Updated: 19/07/15 12:46pm
The final round of the 144th Open will be played on Monday following the extensive weather delays at St Andrews, the R&A has confirmed.
The action on the third day was suspended just 32 minutes after the resumption of the second round as extreme winds rendered conditions unplayable, with 39 players still to complete 36 holes.
With little hope of play before 6pm on Saturday, the R&A decided that completing the tournament on Sunday was a remote possibility and announced a Monday finish for only the second time in Open history.
The plan is to finish round two on Saturday, with the third and fourth rounds to follow on Sunday and Monday.
The only time the Open has previously been extended to Monday was when rain severely affected the 1988 event at Royal Lytham, where Seve Ballesteros went on to claim his third Claret Jug.
R&A comfortable with decision
The decision to extend the tournament into a fifth day was welcomed by R&A director of rules and equipment standards David Rickman, who explained the committee were reluctant to resort to a two-tee start due to logistical issues.
"When we considered every possibility we felt the best conclusion was to accept a Monday finish gives us the best answer," said Rickman. "Playing two-tee starts here is not easy. We did it last year (on the Saturday at Royal Liverpool, to avoid incoming weather) but we felt those were exceptional circumstances.
"Our preferences were to maintain the tradition of a one-tee start. When we started to do the maths, the Monday finish was the best answer. In a strange way it is maybe a relief to have taken the decision to go to a Monday. It gives us a degree of control and clarity - even if that gives everyone a series of consequential challenges.
"We could do (36 holes) but we would be looking at two-tee starts and have to put those arrangements in place overnight.
"We would be playing morning till night, finishing in the dark - which in some ways worked on Friday night with Tom Watson - but it would mean having the Champion golfer of the Year trophy presented in near-darkness after a long and difficult day.
"We are comfortable this is the right decision for the championship."
