The chances of an early starter charging back into contention for The Open Championship looked to have been blown away at the onset of the third round at Royal Birkdale.
Strong, gusting winds were already buffeting the course when Phillip Archer teed off at 7:30am and the forecast did not look good for the rest of the day.
Scattered showers and winds gusting to almost 50mph were forecast, with the worst of it around the time leader KJ Choi and Greg Norman were scheduled to begin their third rounds.
In view of the conditions, tees on the sixth, 11th and 16th were moved forward, reducing the length of the course by a total of 159 yards.
But after two and a half hours' play, none of the 27 players out on the course were under par, and several of the big names out early were finding the going tough.
South Africa's Ernie Els, who made the cut right on the mark of nine over par, was out in 38 to drop to 13 over par, while Lee Westwood went through the front nine in 39, including a double bogey on the first.
England's Paul Casey had also taken six on the first but birdied the seventh and eighth to be out in 34 before a bogey on the tenth, while Colin Montgomerie was one over after five holes.
Argentina's Andres Romero, so close to winning at Carnoustie last year, had been one under after three holes but bogeyed the sixth. He is currently on level par afer 11 holes.
