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For the 20th year in a row The International tournament at Castle Rock has been delayed by rain - this time by a full day.

A persistent downpour on Thursday soaked the course to such an extent at Colorado's only PGA Tour stop, officials were forced to write of day one of the event and schedule the 1st round for Friday when the forecast is for a 30 per cent chance of rain.

The latest rain delay is the 15th on the US PGA Tour this season but only the second to have the entire first day be completely washed out since the BellSouth Classic in April.

PGA Tour officials told pressmen they were mindful of next week's 4th and final major of the season, the PGA Championship, and that many players would want to be at Baltusrol to begin practicing for it on Monday, but The PGA's Slugger White, said the Tour would not make any decisions for this week's tournament based on that.

"The International is our main concern and that's what we have to deal with," White said. "If Monday is part of it, then that's where we're going."

As part of its unique scoring system, The International cuts its field to 36 players for the final round and with this limited field, there is a good chance of the event being completed by Sunday - despite the loss of a full day. lost.

"My guess would be if a player makes it to the 4th round and has to play on Monday, no one's going to jump ship," Brad Faxon said. "That's payday."

When players do tee it up, it will be on a soggy course, which may nullify some of the distance gains they normally attain when from playing at an altitude of 6,300 feet where the air is thinner and less resistant.

"The guys who hit it high and long will have an advantage, for sure," David Toms said.

The International is the only tournament on the US Tour that uses the Modified Stableford scoring system that awards five points for eagles and two for birdies.

Pars earn nothing while a point is deducted for a bogey and three points for double bogeys or worse.