GOLF/ Italian Open: Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell will take a share of the lead into the fifth day of the weather-delayed Italian Open in Milan today.

McDowell birdied the 14th hole of his third and final round just seconds after the siren sounded to suspend play for the day at Castello di Tolcinasco.

It took the 24-year-old from Portrush to 18 under par with four holes to play, alongside France's Gregory Havret who had two holes to complete this morning.

Former British Open runner-up Thomas Levet was also well in the hunt a shot behind on 17 under with four holes left in the battle for the 200,000 first prize.

Pre-tournament favourite Ian Poulter, seeking a third Italian Open in five years, was too far back on 13 under with just two holes remaining.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms had already reduced the tournament to 54 holes, and another storm yesterday afternoon, when the lightning detector registered its maximum reading, meant a first Monday finish on the European Tour since Paul Lawrie won the Dunhill Links at St Andrews in 2001.

Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who was among those who finished the second round on Saturday, held a one-shot lead after the round was completed yesterday morning.

Sweden's Joakim Haeggman birdied five of the six holes he had to play to complete the back nine in just 30 shots for a 13-under-par total of 131.

"That was worth getting out of bed for," said Haeggman, who had to be in position on the course in time for the 7.30 a.m. restart.

Levet also finished well with an eagle and a birdie in his last four holes to move to 12 under, alongside McDowell who had carded a second consecutive 66 on Saturday.

McDowell, bidding for his second European Tour title following his victory in the 2002 Scandinavian Masters in what was only his fourth event, was out in 32, the suspension interrupting his progress as he stood on the ninth green.

He had birdies on the first, fourth and fifth to take him to 15 under par and one ahead of playing partner Cabrera.

The duo then swapped birdies to maintain the status quo before the French pair of Havret and Levet joined the fray.

Havret, winner of this tournament in Sardinia in 2001, followed an eagle on the ninth with a hat-trick of birdies, and after finding a ditch with his approach to bogey the 13th, chipped in for an eagle on the 15th to move to 18 under.

Levet's progress was less spectacular, but four birdies in eight holes from the seventh kept him in the shake-up for a third tour victory.

Meanwhile, McDowell had also birdied the seventh and had an eight-foot putt for another on the ninth before the storm arrived. Heavy rain and even hailstones meant a delay of three hours - during which the players amused themselves with impromptu games of cricket and football on the putting green - after which McDowell returned to miss from eight feet.

The former Walker Cup star made no such mistake on the 12th and 14th, however, and is in a strong position to claim his second tour victory.

The leaders in the clubhouse are Anders Hansen of Denmark, who dropped just the one shot in his six-under-par 66, and South African Charl Schwartzel (67) who lie on 13 under par 203.