The first morning of the Italian Open was almost totally washed out as heavy rain and the threat of lightning meant that just over an hour's play was possible at Golf Club Milano.
Just five minutes of play was completed before the first suspension at 0735 and while play did get back under way at 0900, there was then another delay at 1005.
As the heaviest of the rain then began to move away, the ground staff were able to get out on the course and it was announced that play would restart at 1330.
That meant there would be a four-hour-and-55-minute delay to the morning games yet to tee off and a five-hour delay to the afternoon tee times.
Of the 33 players that did manage to get their rounds started, Australia's Jason Scrivener and Frenchman Thomas Linard led the way at two under.
Scrivener was out in the first group of the day and managed to get four holes completed - birdieing the second and third - while Linard made gains on the first and third in the group behind.
Englishman David Horsey managed to get his round under way on the back nine and was not disrupted by the first delay, returning to birdie the tenth and sit one under after four holes.
Swede Peter Hanson and Scot Paul Lawrie were both one under after two holes while Spanish duo Adrian Otaegui and Miguel Angel Jiménez, and local favourite Renato Paratore all birdied their openers before play was suspended.
