Fog means no play in US Women's Open

Golf Digest: LPGA TOUR Thick fog ruled out any play on the first day of the US Women's Open at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island yesterday.

The first round will be played today with the same starting times, the second round on Saturday and 36 holes on Sunday, organisers said.

Heavy rain at the start of championship week meant that spectators were barred from the venue on Monday and the wet conditions mean that the course is playing extremely long.

US TOUR: Boosted by four consecutive birdies, Australia's Peter Lonard moved into an early share of the Buick Championship first-round lead in Cromwell, Connecticut, yesterday.

The 38-year-old fired a five-under-par 65 at the TPC at River Highlands to set the pace with Americans Heath Slocum and Harrison Frazar.

"It was one of those rounds where I hit a lot of greens, a lot of fairways and holed a couple of long putts," said Lonard after mixing six birdies with a solitary bogey at the 13th.

SENIORS TOUR: John Chillas of Scotland secured a one-stroke lead after round one of the Bendinat London Seniors Masters at the London Golf Club on what proved to be a disappointing day for the Irish contingent. Chillas birdied the last hole for a first-round 66, six under par, to top the leaderboard by one from big-hitting Jamaican Delroy Cambridge and two from Guillermo Encina of Chile and England's Kevin Spurgeon.

However, the Heritage Course was a less welcoming proposition for the three Irishmen. Cork's Denis O'Sullivan fared best with a one-over-par 73, but Eamonn Darcy and John Curtis carded 77s.

CHALLENGE TOUR: Spain's Juan Parron conjured an electrifying finish to his opening round at the Open Mahou de Madrid to take the first-round lead for the second consecutive week on the European Challenge Tour.

The 23-year-old birdied four of his last five holes for a seven-under-par 64 at the Club de Golf La Herreria to take a one-stroke lead from the Italian duo of Massimo Florioli and Gregory Molteni.

Eamonn Brady leads the Irish challenge with a two-under-par 69. Justin Kehoe is on 71 with John Kelly a shot back on 72 and Peter Williamson on 74.