Memorial tournamentSecond-round play at the Memorial tournament was delayed by over four hours after the course was left waterlogged by heavy morning rain.

"We've had close to an inch of rain today," PGA Tour official Slugger White said.

With further thunderstorms forecast for Saturday, the tournament is likely to have each of the first three rounds spill over into the following day.

Some 30 players had to complete the opening round after play was suspended on Thursday because of the threat of a late afternoon thunderstorm.

American Steve Flesch, one shot clear after the weather-hit first round, then offset a bogey-five at the second hole with a birdie at the par-four third before the siren halted second-round action.

That left him at six under for the tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club, and one ahead of compatriot Sean O'Hair who has yet to tee off.

Sweden's Carl Pettersson was a further two strokes back after parring the first five holes.

Best of the early starters was 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk, who birdied the first and third to get to one under overall.

Earlier in the day, Flesch parred the 18th for a six-under-par 66 and a one-stroke lead when the opening round was finally completed.

The 39-year-old had split the middle of the fairway with his drive on the 18 when play was suspended on Thursday because of the threat of a thunderstorm.

"I was just hitting it really good, keeping the ball in the fairway and was pretty good with my irons," Flesch said.

"Fortunately with the greens being as soft as they are, you're able to get the ball close to the hole, which is a little out of character for this place.

"Usually the greens are pretty firm and it's tough to get the ball close. I birdied all the par fives and hit a lot of good putts. It's probably the best round I've played in a year, maybe even a year-and-a-half."

A significant factor in Flesch's performance was staying out of the controversially beefed-up bunkers at Muirfield Village. I've been avoiding them like a water hazard," he said. "It's frustrating to watch other guys try to get out of them, to be honest with you."

The decision by tournament host Jack Nicklaus to have the bunkers raked in an unconventional way has sparked wide debate among the players.

Nicklaus has introduced a long-toothed, widely spaced rake which creates furrows to make recoveries from the sand more difficult.

Although Mickelson felt the bunkers were fair for everyone, Ernie Els and Zimbabwean Price disapproved of the ploy.

"I disagree with it," Price said. "I don't like it at all. I don't think there's one player out here that does. It's a bit of pot luck, to be honest."

CHALLENGE TOUR: Mark Pilkington from Wales continued his dominance of the Morson International Pro-Am Challenge, after a third round 71 left him three strokes clear going into the final 18 holes at the Marriott Worsley Park Hotel and Country Club.

Pilkington, who has led the tournament since day one, is just one round away from securing the first victory of his eight-year professional career.

Pilkington's third round of 71 was good enough to extend his advantage to four strokes from Norway's Jan Are Larsen, who made the best move of Pilkington's nearest challengers, posting a third round of 67 to move to eight under par 202.

England's James Heath and Spain's Alvaro Quiros, two of the Challenge Tour's most exciting young talents, are a stroke further back on seven under par.

LET TOUR: Australia's Leah Hart enjoyed her best day on the European Tour when she birdied the final two holes to lead the first round of the KLM Ladies' Open at Eindhoven in Holland yesterday.

The 24-year-old rookie's seven-under-par round of 65 put her two shots ahead of France's Stephanie Arricau, who was third in last week's French Open.

Ireland's Rebecca Coakley had a mixed day with an opening round of one-under-par 71 that included seven birdies and six bogeys.