Fog prevents first round at Madeira Islands Open

Published May. 8, 2014 12:57 p.m. ET

foxsports

The first round of the Madeira Islands Open was postponed after heavy fog prevented any play on the Santo da Serra course on Thursday.

Play was abandoned at 5 p.m. local time, leaving organizers hopeful of starting the European Tour's 1,500th tournament on Friday.

While the capital Funchal was bathed in sunshine all day, visibility on the golf course, 2,300 feet above the city, was restricted to about 50 yards.

''It is a very unusual mini ecosystem here at this venue, and, while many of the holes on the course further down the mountain are clear, unfortunately some are still under fog,'' tournament director Jose Maria Zamora said.