The Scottish Open has been reduced to a 54-hole event after overnight rain flooded the course at Castle Stuart.
It is hoped that the delayed second round will be completed on Saturday, with the third and final round played on Sunday.
Following more storms throughout the day, play was finally re-scheduled to start at 7.30pm.
More than two inches of rain in the Inverness region flooded the course and caused landslips at the first and 12th holes. For safety reasons, spectators will not be allowed to watch at holes one, two, three, 10 and 12.
There had been two stoppages for bad weather during Friday's play, with lightning forcing the players off the course before the second round had been completed.
Graeme McDowell, an early starter on Friday, shot a sizzling 64 to share the lead with Scottish duo Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford.
However, world numbers one and two Luke Donald and Lee Westwood could not complete their rounds on Friday. The duo had managed nine and 11 holes respectively.
The decision to reduce the tournament to a three-round event has been partly influenced by the fact that a large proportion of the field are competing at next week's Open Championship in Kent.
Championship director Peter Adams said: "Our role is making sure that everything is safe for everybody coming to the tournament.
"When we arrived regrettably most of the parking areas were pretty much under water, including the main car park and the bus turning circle, and walkways were in a bad state."
Stewart also said that consideration was given to trying to play 36 holes on Sunday so that the event would be decided over the full four-round distance, but that was rejected because of the weather expected for the rest of Saturday and Sunday.
"The course was close to unplayable this morning, but we are pretty confident that it can take an awful lot of rain without major disruption," he added.
It is hoped that the delayed second round will be completed on Saturday, with the third and final round played on Sunday.
Following more storms throughout the day, play was finally re-scheduled to start at 7.30pm.
More than two inches of rain in the Inverness region flooded the course and caused landslips at the first and 12th holes. For safety reasons, spectators will not be allowed to watch at holes one, two, three, 10 and 12.
There had been two stoppages for bad weather during Friday's play, with lightning forcing the players off the course before the second round had been completed.
Graeme McDowell, an early starter on Friday, shot a sizzling 64 to share the lead with Scottish duo Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford.
However, world numbers one and two Luke Donald and Lee Westwood could not complete their rounds on Friday. The duo had managed nine and 11 holes respectively.
The decision to reduce the tournament to a three-round event has been partly influenced by the fact that a large proportion of the field are competing at next week's Open Championship in Kent.
"When we arrived regrettably most of the parking areas were pretty much under water, including the main car park and the bus turning circle, and walkways were in a bad state."
Stewart also said that consideration was given to trying to play 36 holes on Sunday so that the event would be decided over the full four-round distance, but that was rejected because of the weather expected for the rest of Saturday and Sunday.
"The course was close to unplayable this morning, but we are pretty confident that it can take an awful lot of rain without major disruption," he added.
