ST. LOUIS – The first round of the BMW Championship has been washed out by steady rain that has deluged Bellerive Country Club, adding to the string of bad luck for golf in St. Louis.

Tournaments officials hope to begin the third playoff event Friday.

The PGA Tour returned to Bellerive for the first time since the American Express Championship, which was canceled because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The 2004 U.S. Senior Open also lost a day because of rain, and the one time Arnold Palmer played a Champions Tour event, rain kept most fans from getting to the course.