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Rain and wind battered the Old Course on Wednesday

The star-studded Champions Challenge to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Open had to be cancelled because of severe weather at St Andrews.

Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Peter Thomson and Lee Trevino were set to be four of the captains in a seven-team charity event.

It was to have been played over the first, second, 17th and 18th holes.

But after rain and wind battered the famous Old Course, organisers decided not to stage the event.

The format would have seen the best individual score at each hole counting as the team score.

The winners were to have received a cheque for £50,000 to be donated to charities of their choice.

Thomson's team featured world number one Tiger Woods and the last Englishman to win the Open, Sir Nick Faldo.

Ernie Els had been due to partner Tom Watson in Tom Weiskopf's team, while former Open and Masters champion Sandy Lyle was part of Argentine veteran Roberto de Vicenzo's side.

However, having witnessed the severity of the wind and rain that swept across the famous Fife links on Wednesday, it was decided by the powers that be at St Andrews to postpone the event, with no indication yet as to when it might be played.

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