The first round of the Evian Championship, the fifth and final golf major of the women’s season, lasted just 47 minutes on Thursday before heavy rain forced play to be suspended.

Only 18 players had started and all the scores will be wiped out. The first round will take place on Friday with the second round on Saturday and 36 holes on Sunday.

“Nearly four inches of rain have fallen since Saturday and the course is saturated and unplayable,” explained Heather Daly-Donofrio, senior vice-president of Tour Operations for the Ladies’ Professional Golf Association.

“But this is a major championship so the goal is to complete 72 holes. Going on to Monday is an option.”

The forecast for Friday and Saturday is dry and clear, but more rain is expected on Sunday.

The Evian course has been rebuilt over the past nine months in readiness for the tournament’s upgrading to major status and American Daly-Donofrio has paid regular visits to the course during the re-design.

“I’ve been here when in snow, sleet and rain and the weather conditions has meant the new course has not been able to absorb the water,” she said. “But I am not even sure if the old course would have been playable.”

The start of the first round was originally delayed by two hours. Eighteen players had started before the scores were wiped out with American Cindy LaCrosse at the top of the leaderboard on one-under-par with a birdie at the first hole.

The suspension of play continued a jinx for the women’s majors. The last two Women’s British Opens, at Hoylake last year and St Andrews last month, and this year’s LPGA Championship were all hit by weather delays and all required 36-holes to be squeezed into the final Sunday.