None of the players had completed their opening round of the US$2.35 million Johnnie Walker Classic and half the field were yet to begin when the first round at Pine Valley Golf Resort and Country Club was called off due to very strong winds in Beijing [Images] on Thursday.

It was also very cold and the players struggled all around.

Australian Adam Scott, the world's number 10, was on top of the leaderboard as he negotiated his opening 10 holes in three-under-par.

Only three of the Indians, Amandeep Johl, Harmeet Kahlon and Rahil Gangjee had begun play in their opening round and all of them were over par.

Johl was two over for eight holes with bogeys on 10th and 17th, where was when play was stopped. Kahlon was also two over after seven. He bogeyed the first hole and the birdied the second, but then dropped a shot each on fourth and sixth.

Gangjee was struggling at six-over after six holes. He had a bogey-bogey start from the 10th and then double-bogeyed the 12th. His first par came on the 13th and he then again doubled bogeyed the 14th to be six-over after just five holes.

He parred the 15th when play stopped.

Jeev Milkha Singh [Images] and Jyoti Randhawa did not get a chance to start their round and will tee off for first round on Friday.

Tournament officials suspended play at 07.44 IST when gusts of winds went up to more than 51 kph causing the ball to move on the greens and making the approach shot very difficult to direct. Play was eventually called off for the day at 12.45 IST.

Korea's Choi Kyung-ju, regular on the US Tour, was two-under-par through nine holes while the tournament's biggest name and two-time former champion Ernie Els of South Africa [Images] was one-over after nine.

The 24-year-old Scott, who started from the 10th, birdied the par fives on the 13th and 16th as well as the par four 18th hole as he stayed bogey free before play was halted. His playing partner Sergio Garcia of Spain was one under par. The third player in the group Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, struggled running up a double bogey and a bogey on the 16th and 17th and was two-over for 10 holes.

The players will resume their first rounds at 04.00 IST on Friday. The afternoon session players who did not start today will begin their first rounds from between 05.30 IST and 07.30 IST. Officials expect round two to be completed on Saturday.

Players will remain in three-ball groupings and play off two tees from the third round in an effort to complete 72 holes.