Thai teenager Chinarat Phadungsil held a two-stroke lead at the storm-interrupted Maybank Malaysian Open today after firing a sparkling five-under-par 67 at Saujana Golf and Country Club.
The 18-year-old carded seven birdies to move to seven under for the tournament, two shots ahead of the English pair of Simon Dyson and Marcus Higley and Finland's Marko Ilonen at the conclusion of morning play at Saujana Golf and Country Club's Palm course.
The Argentinian duo of Rafael Echenique and Ricardo Gonzales were also on five under late in the afternoon when play was suspended because of a thunderstorm.
None of the players who teed off in the afternoon was able to complete their round, and they will return tomorrow morning. The projected cut is two-over-par.
Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen was two shots off the lead on four-under after firing a second consecutive 70 while Australia's Kane Webber finished on three-under after a one-over 73.
France's Jean-Francois Lucquin, American Edward Loar and David Brandson of Australia were also on three under but had yet to complete their second rounds.
Having carded a two-under 70 on Thursday, Phadungsil got out of the blocks quickly after starting on the back nine in his second round, setting up a pair of quick birdies with approaches to two feet at the 11th and 12th.
He bogeyed the par-five 13th after missing the green with his approach shot but made the turn at four under with a four-foot birdie at the 15th.
A run of three consecutive birdies including a 20-foot putt at the fourth moved him to seven-under and although he bogeyed the sixth after missing the green again, another birdie at the seventh saw him move to the top of the leaderboard.
Dyson set the pace for much of the morning before a late double bogey saw him finish the morning tied for second place with Higley and Ilonen on five-under 139.
Starting on the back nine at one-under, the 29-year-old from York shot a brilliant outward 30 that included four birdies and an eagle at the par-five 13th to move to seven-under at the turn.
The 2000 Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit winner appeared to be on course for the clubhouse lead but a flyer out of the rough at the eighth resulted in a double bogey that saw him finish with a four-under-par 68.
Yeovil-native Higley shot seven birdies and two bogeys in his round of 67 while Ilonen carded a two-under 70.
Meanwhile, overnight Robert Rock crumbled on the back nine as he shot 78 to drop to level par.
Rock, who led a European Tour event for the first time in his career after an opening 66, held steady early in his round but made three bogeys and a double bogey after the turn to drop down the field.
Jeev Milkha Singh of India is five shots off the lead after firing his second consecutive round of 71 while Michael Campbell shot 70 to move to one-over for the tournament.
The Irish challenge faltered, with Damien McGrane the only Irishman to be guaranteed to be around for the weekend after carding a 73 to finish on one-under-par.
Ulsterman Darren Clarke is right on the projected cut mark after a double bogey at his final hole dropped him to two-over. The three other Irish competitors, Peter Lawrie, Graeme McDowell and Gary Murphy, all exited the tournament having finished on six-over after 36 holes.
England's Lee Westwood will have to sweat it out on Saturday morning as he was on two over with two holes to play.
The highlight of the day was the first albatross of the season on the European Tour by Australian Gavin Flint, who holed out with his second shot, a three wood from 336 metres at the par-five.
