KUALA LUMPUR -- China's Zhang Lian-wei took the venom out of the Cobra course on Thursday in the lightning-affected first round of the US$750,000 Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open with a 6-under-par 66, to share the lead with resurgent American Christian Pena.

Zhang took advantage of the PGA European Tour's visit to Asia and unleashed a back nine of 4-under-par 32, while Pena fired the same score over the front nine. In what is the first ever joint-sanctioned event between Europe and the Asian PGA Tour, the pair lead by a stroke from Frankie Minoza of the Philippines.

American Gerry Norquist was in one of the 19 groups unable to complete their rounds when lightning stopped play for the day, and was five under with the par-5 18th to play. Korean Choi Kyung-ju and Spaniard Tomas Muñoz both finished at four under.

"I didn't expect to shoot six under," said Zhang. "The course is set up much more difficult than the last time I played here. The fairways are much tighter and the rough is very deep."

The Chinese No. 1 excelled the last time he played the Saujana Golf and Country Club layout, claiming second place in the Kuala Lumpur Open two years ago.

"Length is not important on this course. You really have to keep the ball straight," added Zhang, who tempered his normal, attacking game by hitting a 2-wood off most tees.

Pena, like Zhang, made only one bogey over the 6,947 yard course.

The American, winner of the Volvo Masters of Malaysia in 1997, was the halfway leader last week and one off the lead going into the final round, but was disqualified just before his start time on Sunday. Tournament officials ruled that he had made a rule infringement in round two. "I got over it real quickly," said the 30-year-old.

"I got to the course on Sunday and found I was disqualified. That was pretty disappointing, but I was over it in a day. I knew we had a big tournament coming and I was playing well. Today was perfect. I didn't think it was hot at all. Obviously humid, but it didn't affect me like yesterday."

England's Lee Westwood, winner of the event in 1997 and runner-up last year, was on the 15th when play was stopped and was three over, while Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke was a hole behind Westwood and one stroke better.

Defending champion Ed Fryatt of England was playing with Clarke and stood at one under after an eagle on the par-5 13th.

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, currently lying second on the European Tour Order of Merit, returned a round of 4-over-par 76.

The shot of the day belonged to Taiwan's Lu Wen-teh who fired a hole-in-one on the 216-yard, par-3 second with a 4-iron. Unfortunately, it was not on one of the holes where a Jaguar car or one's weight in Johnnie Walker scotch is available.