MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Steady rain showers, gusty winds and cool temperatures greeted golfers Friday for the opening foursomes at the World Cup.
Teams from Zimbabwe and Wales were the first to tee off at 10:35 a.m. with the leading groups set to begin their rounds about two hours later at Metropolitan Golf Club, one of the famed sandbelt courses in southeast Melbourne.
After fourballs (best ball) were played on Thursday, the foursomes Friday will feature alternate shots from each of the two team members. The tournament returns to fourballs on Saturday and then foursomes for the final round Sunday.
Australia, South Korea and England were tied for the lead after the first round with 10-under 62s. Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton of England were scheduled to tee off in the final group with Byeong Hun An and Si Woo Kim of South Korea.
Just before that, the host country's Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith were set to play with Gavin Green and Ben Leong of Malaysia, one of three countries one stroke behind the leaders. Belgium and defending champion Denmark were the others a stroke behind.
The U.S. team of Kyle Stanley and Matt Kuchar was in a large group tied for 13th among 28 teams after a 66.
Temperatures were just 13 Celsius (56 Fahrenheit) when play began and were not expected to go much higher for the rest of the day. And with winds gusting to 35 kilometers an hour (20 mph) it appeared much cooler.
And the weather wasn't helping the early starters. The scores from the first six teams on the par-4 first were two pars, a bogey, two double bogeys and a triple bogey.
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