Thammanoon Srirot leads as event is cut to 54 holes

Thailand 's Thammanoon Srirot edged into the lead today at the US$1.25 million Maybank Malaysian Open, which has been reduced to a 54-hole tournament due to inclement weather.

The Asian Tour stalwart rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on his first hole of the third round at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club to lead on 13-under-par before play was abandoned for the day due to a lightning storm at 3.34pm .

With more forecast of poor weather, organisers announced the championship will be decided over three rounds, with players resuming their third and final rounds at 8.45am on Sunday.

Two-time defending champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand is very much in the hunt for a historic third straight victory in Malaysia as he is tied second with halfway leader David Park of Wales, who bogeyed the only hole he managed to play today.

England 's Mark Foster was one of the few players ruing the suspension of play as he had charged out from the blocks with two birdies and one eagle through his opening five holes to trail in tied fourth place on 11-under, a score matched by compatriot John Bickerton.

Thammanoon, a five-time winner in Asia , made the most of Park's bogey on the first when he rammed home a lengthy putt on the first hole. Now, he's dreaming of succeeding Thongchai as the king of golf in Malaysia .

"I will play it safe but if I can make birdies, I will go for it. I'm very comfortable here and I'm putting really well this week. I'm not putting pressure on myself and I'm taking it easy," said the 36-year-old Thammanoon.

Thongchai, looking to become the first player to win the same event three times in a row on the Asian Tour and the first Asian to do so on the European Tour, said the start-and-stop tournament, which has been troubled by lightning storms from the opening round, has not affected his concentration at all.

"I expected the weather to be like this. I feel very good. Thammanoon is really strong now and he's putting well. There are still many holes to go," said the two-time Asian Tour number one.

Park, bidding for his second European Tour win, missed the green on the first hole and failed to save par from four feet before the siren blew for players to return to the clubhouse. But the Welshman was unperturbed of his minor slip-up.

"I was not too happy with the bogey but these things happen. It's only my third bogey of the week. I'm not making many, so I'm not worried," said Park. "It's nice to know that we'll go home on Sunday and it's a bonus.

"I thought they might go to Monday but obviously, we'll have to do it over 54 holes. It's a shame as I would have liked to play four rounds. Just one of those things. We'll just start again really. I've been pleased with the way I'm playing for a while now, so the form is quite good."

Foster, who had to play 15 holes this morning to complete his second round, charged up the leaderboard and was one of those whose momentum was halted because of the bad weather. He birdied the second and fourth hole and eagled the fifth.

"It speaks for itself," said Foster of his frustrations. "You're up early every morning and once you start going, you want to keep going. Every time you stop, you have to warm back up. It's not easy to do. It was really hard for me as I had a good start. I would have loved to carry on as I started nicely. But it's safety first," said the Englishman.

Korea's Charlie Wi was amongst those who are tied sixth on 10-under-par for the tournament while Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, last year's Asian number one, was a further stroke back after playing three holes of his third round in one-under.

Irishman Padraig Harrington, who completed his second round this morning with a second straight 69, is seven under for the event. The Maybank Malaysian Open is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

The last time an Asian Tour event was shortened to 54 holes because of inclement weather was at the 2003 SK Telecom Open, won by Korea 's Charlie Wi.