Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth and England’s Barry Lane shared the early clubhouse lead in the weather-interrupted Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur today.
Both carded course record eight-under par 63s at the Royal Selangor Golf Club before play was suspended (8 a.m. Irish time) for the first time due to the threat of electrical storms on the area.
Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez and Harmeet Kahlon lie in third two shots adrift on six-under.
Padraig Harrington was on level par after 12 holes before everyone was called off the course having made an inconsistent start with three birdies and as many bogeys.
When play resumed the Dubliner, who lost in a play-off to Vijay Singh last year in Asia’s richest national Open, picked up another birdie at the par five 15th to end the day on one-under.
Harrington will hope to go one better and win this week having finished fourth, third and runner-up twice in his previous four visits to Asia.
Ian Woosnam found form with his new set of irons after he struggled with them on their first outing in the Singapore Masters last week. The Welshman completed the course in three-under 68 and joined a group of over a dozen players tied for 18th, including the esteemed name of Nick Faldo.
Fresh from his third place in Singapore, the six-time major winner is on a high as he goes in pursuit of his first European Tour win since 1994 - in this co-sanctioned event.
With play suspended for a second time, there will be no further golf today which means 36 players must complete their first rounds tomorrow.