Sunday 22 March 2015 16:27, UK
The Madeira Islands Open has become just the third European Tour event in history to be cancelled after Sunday's play was washed out at Santo da Serra.
The tournament had been reduced to 36 holes for the second year running after the first day was abandoned due to strong winds which also caused further delays on day two.
Torrential rain then moved in to end play early on Friday and disrupt the tournament over the weekend, and no play was possible in Sunday's second and final round due to the course being waterlogged.
The first round was finally completed on Saturday afternoon, and the 82 players who had made the cut were due to tee off in a shotgun start beginning at 8am.
But the Santo da Serra groundstaff were unable to get the course in a playable condition, and European Tour officials were forced to call off the entire tournament.
We are already in discussions with the club and the sponsors to reschedule the event for another week in this year’s Race to Dubai schedule
However, the Tour's chief operating officer Keith Waters remains hopeful that the event can be reschuduled for later in the season.
"The Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI is a hugely important event for The European Tour so it is disappointing for everyone concerned that we have been forced to cancel this week," Waters said in a statement on the European Tour website.
Hope to reschedule
“This tournament has produced some memorable moments down the years and we share a very strong relationship with the hosts and sponsors, so we are already in discussions with the club and the sponsors to reschedule the event for another week in this year’s Race to Dubai schedule.
"We really appreciate the efforts of those who worked tirelessly this week to make the tournament happen, so we feel we must now make every effort to make sure that the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI takes place this year and that together we can show the world the true potential of this great event and this beautiful island.”
"We must now make every effort to make sure that the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI takes place this year and that together we can show the world the true potential of this great event and this beautiful island.”.
Denmark's Joachim B Hansen had led the tournament after carding a four-under 68 in the only round possible, and he was disappointed not to be given the chance to claim a maiden European Tour title.
He said: “It’s definitely disappointing because it would have been nice to put two or three good rounds together, but the weather wouldn’t let us do that.
“I’ve been playing well for a few weeks now so I’m going home to have some time with my coach and I’m looking forward to Kenya (Barclays Kenya Open) now.
“They tried everything they could here. I know José Maria Zamora and everyone here did everything they could to finish this tournament. The greenkeepers worked very hard too, you could see that from the clubhouse, trying to remove the bunkers so it’s a shame we couldn’t finish.”
The event is the first to be cancelled since the WGC-American Express Championship was called off in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, while the 1998 Compaq European Grand Prix at Slaley Hall was abandoned due to adverse weather.
