Tim Wilkinson (AFP)
New Zealander Tim Wilkinson was the clubhouse leader on six-under par 66 after the storm-hit opening round of the Australian PGA Championship on Thursday.
Wilkinson, who banked 1.1 million US dollars in an impressive rookie year on the US Tour, led former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and compatriot Richard Lee by a stroke when play was officially called off for the day.
Officials called a halt just after 3.00 pm (0500 GMT) because of an electrical storm, with 78 players due to return early Friday to complete their opening rounds.
"If I could do that for three more days I'd be very happy," Wilkinson said.
"It was a good solid round, it was pretty straightforward, I just hit a lot of good shots and it was just the one tee shot at the last I'd like back (but) that's about it."
Ogilvy failed to cash in on a hot start that promised so much.
"It could have been a pretty special nine holes but then it came undone a little bit on the back nine," said Ogilvy, winner of the 2006 US Open.
He began in sensational fashion with a birdie-eagle, but the wind strengthened, some loose shots crept into his game and his round stagnated with a string of eight straight pars coming home.
Little-known Australian Peter Wilson would have been cursing the deteriorating weather after charging into the lead at eight-under.
Just before the storm siren sounded to call the players to safety, Wilson, who led the first round of the Australian Masters two years ago after firing a 65, ran up a double bogey at the par four 13th hole, dropping back to six-under before walking off the course one hole later.
Australian Peter Lonard started his title defence with a two-under 70, an unspectacular start by his standards.
Compatriot Robert Allenby was tied for 15th with last weekend's Masters winner Rod Pampling on two-under when play was called off.
American two-time major winner John Daly, who played in Ogilvy's group, recovered from an early double bogey to shoot 71, his up and down round featuring five birdies, a doubly bogey and two bogeys.
© 2008 AFP/sid
