NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, 1 May 2004 — Paul Azinger and Gene Sauers shot six-under-par 66s on Thursday to take the lead in the suspended first round of the New Orleans Classic. Rain and thunder storms stopped play for three and a half hour from 1900 GMT, making it impossible to complete the round.

A total of 75 of the 156 players in the field will return to the English Tour Golf and Country Club to finish the first round. The weather forecast for the remaining three days of the tournament is for scattered thunder storms. Last week’s Houston Open was forced into a Monday finish because of rainstorms.

Robert Damron and Chris DiMarco also reached six-under, but neither could finish their round. Damron has one hole remaining while DiMarco has four. South Korea’s K.J. Choi, Britain’s Justin Rose, Sweden’s Mathias Gronberg, Joe Durant and Ricky Barnes, have completed their rounds and are on five-under 67, while champion Steve Flesch is also on five-under, but has four holes remaining.

Blaine McCallister, Kelly Gibson, John Rollins, Ryan Palmer and Dan Olsen are another stroke behind.

Gangjee Surprise Leader at Volkswagen Masters China

In Beijing, Asian Tour rookie Rahil Gangjee of India emerged as the surprise pacesetter at the halfway stage of the Volkswagen Masters China yesterday ahead of the likes of Nick Faldo, Zhang Lian-wei and Phillip Price.

The 25-year-old Gangjee produced a superb putting display en route to a second-round six-under-par 66 and a two-day total of 135 at Pine Valley Golf Club to lead by one stroke over Australian Adam Groom, who returned a 69.

Filipino Gerald Rosales, with the day’s best of 65, Korean maestro Kang Wook-soon, a two-time Asian No. 1, and Aussie duo Kim Felton and Richard Moir are a further stroke back on 137 in the inaugural, $300,000 event.

Chinese stalwart Zhang carded a 70 but he rued a missed opportunity to narrow the gap as playing conditions were ideal for scoring. The self-taught Zhang, who played in the US Masters earlier this month, is tied seventh on 138 with amongst others, Price, who carded a 70, Myanmar veteran Kyi Hla Han, who produced a 68, and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat.

Six-time Major champion Faldo carded a 70 and will head into the weekend six strokes behind the unheralded leader. The halfway cut was set at 146 with 76 players moving into the weekend. Former Masters winner Ian Woosnam and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh were among those who squeezed through.

Second Day Washed Out as Milan Course Gets a Drenching

The second day’s play in the Italian Open yesterday fell victim to torrential overnight rain which left much of the Castello di Tolcinasco course underwater. After two-and-a-half inches of rain and with no let up in the wet weather tournament director Mike Stewart decided to abandon ship at 1130 local time until today.

The rain has raised the possibility of a Monday finish, a reduced halfway cut, or downsizing the 72-par event to 54 holes. Britain’s Mark Roe and Gregory Havret of France share the lead after Thursday’s first round on eight under par 64.