Pádraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson failed to sparkle at the Barclays Singapore Open today allowing local player Lam Chih Bing to steal the limelight in the weather-interrupted opening round. World number five Harrington bogeyed his final hole for a one-over 72 while world number three Mickelson opened with an up-and-down 73 at Sentosa Golf Club.

Ernie Els and Oliver Wilson were within a shot of clubhouse leader Lam when darkness ended play with half the field yet to finish their first round.

After a lightning storm halted play for more two hours, Lam completed his opening round on four-under 67, one stroke ahead of Australia's Marcus Both and three ahead of Austria's Markus Brier, Korea's Charlie Wi and China's Zhang Lian-wei.

Teeing off in the afternoon, Els picked up an eagle on the fourth and had two more birdies, offset by a lone bogey, as he moved to three-under through 14 holes. Wilson had birdies on the fourth, sixth and 10th and the Englishman was bogey-free through 12 holes when play was halted with 71 players still on the course.

India's Digvijay Singh joined them on that mark after firing four birdies and a bogey through 11 holes.

Darren Clarke was tied with Mickelson on two over while two-time winner Adam Scott had seven bogeys in his disastrous round of 76.

But it was Lam who stole the limelight after sparkling in soggy conditions at the Serapong course. The 31-year-old made an excellent start after teeing off on the back nine with a birdie on his first hole and three in four just before the turn.

He dropped his only shot of the day when he missed a 20-footer for par at the fifth but a birdie on the eighth put him back on top on four under.

"It's just another tournament for me," said the Singaporean, who secured a place at this year's Open Championship with a top-four finish in the qualifier at the same course.

"Even though it's our national open and the biggest tournament on the Asian Tour, I still have to go out there and do my job no matter what. So it's just going to be another day at the office for me tomorrow."

Harrington, a notoriously slow starter, was let down by his bogey at the last but felt encouraged by his opening effort.

"It certainly had the potential to be better but it is a 72 and I am encouraged by the way I hit it," said the Dubliner, who had three birdies and four bogeys. "I feel good. I am enthusiastic about playing and keen to get out there. I played nicely out there today and that is encouraging for the next couple of days.

"I do need to score a little better but I need to be a little patient when it comes to that."

Mickelson, meanwhile, was encouraged with his score after bogeying three of his first four holes.

"I know two over par does not sound good but I will actually take it. I got off to a terrible start and I was three over early," said the American. "This is the worst chipping round I have had in years that I can remember. I hit five or six of the worst chips I have hit for a long time.

"I do not feel I shot myself out of the tournament by any means and a good round tomorrow will get me right back in it."

The opening round will resume at 7.30am tomorrow (11.30pm tonight Irish time).