The Open Championship, St Andrews, 15-18 July
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A St Andrews scoreboard keeps fans up to date on developments

The chairman of the Open's championship committee says accusations it showed bias by stopping play during Friday's high winds are "absolute nonsense".

Despite complaints from players who had been affected earlier, play was suspended at 1440 BST, with Tiger Woods having played just three shots.

"We had asked officials to stop play earlier," said Germany's Martin Kaymer.

"On the 12th and 13th greens the ball was moving. Maybe they were protecting the better ones playing later."

Only one player suffered a one-stroke penalty for his ball moving on a green after he had addressed, American Brian Gay at the 16th.

606: DEBATE I know there is a lot of money and prestige at stake, but it's an outdoor sport and you take what you get steve

"Bizarrely the 16th was not one of those we were particularly troubled by," stated Royal and Ancient rules secretary David Rickman. "He called it on himself.

"We had reported to us 20 instances of balls at rest being blown and that gives an element of the scale of the issue we faced.

"We were so focused with what was going on at the far end of the course that, to be honest, I couldn't have even told you what time it was and who was on the golf course."

Committee chairman Michael Brown confirmed that there had been no hidden agenda in the timing of the suspension of play.

"What precipitated the suspension was that quite quickly officials at four different greens reported that balls were moving," Brown commented.

"There was nothing further from my mind than who's where," added R&A director of rules Grant Moir.

"The only thing under consideration was whether it was playable."

The testing conditions made pin placement all the more important, and Ryder Cup hopeful Oliver Wilson was one of those unhappy with the pins.

"It was unplayable. It was a joke out there," said Wilson, who missed the cut.

"Every single pin was on the high point on every green. I think they have made a mockery of the tournament and that's a bit of a shame."

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