Cabrera takes over lead with 63

Angel Cabrera returned after a lightning suspension to miss an eagle putt but a nine-under-par 63 still earned the Argentine a two-shot lead as the Italian Open was shortened to 54 holes on Saturday.

Cabrera had to mark his ball on the ninth green, his last hole, before finishing his second round and on his return the ball rimmed the cup before staying up.

He still picked up his seventh birdie, however, to go with an eagle on a flawless card that left him on 14-under-par 130, two shots ahead of Britain's Graeme McDowell, who carded a second successive 66.

First-round leaders Mark Roe of Britain and Frenchman Gregory Havret were a further stroke behind, level with German Marcel Siem, but around half the field were unable to finish their second rounds on Saturday after rain delays and nearly an hour's suspension because of lightning.

Another Briton, Ian Poulter, can still win his third Italian Open from four shots back but now has only one more round to do so.

Poulter threw a spectator's mobile telephone into a rubbish bin when it went off during his first round but learned on Saturday that he is unlikely to be fined when the tournament committee meets next week.

Cabrera insisted the wait while the lightning cleared did not affect him.

"You have to accept these things," he said. "It's normal to get off the course as quickly as possible in these cases.

"The miss was just another in the round. I hope my putting will improve."

Cabrera's 63, which would have been the course record but for preferred-lies due to more of the heavy rain that washed out Friday's play, was encouragement for the 34-year-old Cordoban on his return to the European Tour after an indifferent spell in the United States.

"I won on the Argentine Tour in January but it's been not so good in America," Cabrera said. "I've made a couple of cuts and missed a couple, so I've decided now to play the rest of the season on the European Tour. This is very encouraging."

Cabrera, who missed the cut in his only other European Tour counting event, the U.S. Masters, is now looking to emulate the form of compatriot Ricardo Gonzalez to win a place in Argentina's World Cup team.

"Ricardo is the best in the world rankings and favourite for the team now so I want to move up the world rankings to try to make the team. Winning is the only way to do that," added Cabrera.

With the second round unfinished tournament favourite Jose Maria Olazabal will have to wait until Sunday to see if he has made the cut after an improved 69 took him to 143.

New Zealand's Michael Campbell, lying just a stroke off the lead after the first round, was one of the 76 players in the second half of the field who did not finish their rounds on Saturday.

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