With no-one having completed more than 15 holes of the second round, it was decided to wipe out all scores and start again tomorrow.

The tournament has now been reduced to 54 holes, with the top 65 players and ties after 36 holes going on to complete the final 18 on Sunday.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew, after an opening 68, did manage to start today and had picked up two shots to move into a share of the lead on six under par after seven holes when play was discarded.

She was on the same mark as joint first-round leader Rachel Hetherington, who had picked up one shot.

But now she will go back to start the second round again on four under par and a shot behind Hetherington, Sorenstam and South Korea's Song-Hee Kim, who all shot 67 in the first round.

Matthew was one of six players in joint fourth place. Mexico's world number one Lorena Ochoa was on the same mark and was also a late starter on day two.

Wales' Becky Morgan was one of the players delighted by the part played by the weather. She shot 70 in the first round, but was five over par for 11 holes on day two.

Alena Sharp, the only Canadian in the field, was an unlucky loser due to the flooding.

Having opened with a one over par 73, she had moved to one under par thanks to an eagle three at the long fifth. But play was abandoned just one hole later.

Play was halted due to torrential rain at 11am in the morning and, with no lightning in the area, it had been hoped to resume by lunchtime.

But the course became totally saturated and no amount of work by the greenkeepers could clear the flooding.

The weather forecast is more favourable for the weekend, warmer with light showers.