Lee leads on rain shortened first day

New Zealand's Eddie Lee brilliantly holed a bunker shot for eagle and then birdied his penultimate hole to go three strokes clear on the opening day of the thunderstorm-affected Singapore Masters on Thursday.

Lee, who started on the back nine, was on eight under par after 17 holes when play was halted for the day.

Australia's Peter Fowler and Frenchman Thomas Levet held the clubhouse lead, three shots back.

Eight players, among them Ireland's Peter Lawrie and South African James Kingston, scored four-under-par 68s.

Lee had been on three under through 10 holes when a thunderstorm halted play for two-and-a-half hours in the co-sanctioned event on the Laguna National course.

He returned to birdie his 11th and 13th holes, then holed from the bunker shot at the par five 16th before a birdie at the next, following a 20ft putt, moved him to eight under.

Poor light then forced officials to call a halt to play, leaving Lee and 56 other players to complete their rounds early on Friday.

"I hit a driver and then a three wood at the seventh, my 16th, but was disappointed to see my second shot find a bunker," said Lee.

"But I then holed my bunker shot from about 30 yards out and that felt really good.

"I then birdied the eighth but it was getting pretty dark. Though I walked quickly to the last hole, I didn't want to rush my play, so I am happy to come back.

"I played pretty solid and did not get in any trouble."

Kingston could not say the same.

The South African put two balls into the water just one hole from home to record a triple bogey and fall from his then leading spot on six under par.

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