Thunderstorm halts Masters practice round at Augusta National

A thunderstorm on Monday forced organisers at the Augusta National to cancel the practice round ahead of The Masters this week.

Players and spectators were asked to leave the course due to the torrential conditions at 10am before cancelling the day altogether at lunchtime.

Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said: "We are disappointed that our patrons could not enjoy today's practice round, however safety must be our first concern. We look forward to seeing these patrons next year."

Fans will be refunded next month and have also been given the chance to purchase tickets for practice rounds in 2015.