Appleby and Co facing the rainy-day blues

Tiger Woods is ready to begin his bid for a third successive win at the rain-delayed Accenture Match Play golf championship today but there are still doubts about the ability of the waterlogged La Costa course in California to stage the event.

The first round is already 24 hours behind schedule and pumps have been working overtime to drain fairways and bunkers.

"I walked on it yesterday but it looks like it's in worse condition than the day before, and that was bad," Australian Stuart Appleby said.

Appleby winner of the seasonopening Mercedes Championship, added: "The course was extremely wet. Many holes out there were unplayable.

"There's probably no more than a 25 per cent chance we'll have a playable golf course by today."