Golf: Weather forces Charles Tour cancellation

The first round of the Akarana Open on the Charles Tour has been abandoned due to inclement weather hitting the North Island and the tournament will be reduced to a 54-hole event.

The course is currently unplayable with heavy flooding on the majority of the greens. A number of trees have also fallen on the course and the fairways, bunkers and greens are littered with a large volume of debris because of the 120kmh winds battering the area.

Due to the limited daylight hours and the requirement of a 3.30pm finish on Sunday due to players' travel arrangements to the New Zealand Amateur championships it was decided to reduce the event to 54 holes.

A 36-hole cut will be made on Saturday night ahead of the final round.