GOLF - ABU DHABI UPDATE: Pádraig Harrington was left with ground to make up on Swedish pair Johan Edfors and Mikael Lundberg, who lead the way on the opening day of The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in the Emirates.

British Open and US PGA champion Harrington, making his first appearance of 2009, signed for a one-under-par 71 to be five behind the early clubhouse leaders who both shot 66. Trevor Immleman, last year’s US Masters winner, had to be content with a level-par 72.

Play was suspended for more than two hours after a hailstorm flooded the course. The deluge came just after 9am local time when Harrington and Immelman had both started with four successive pars to be only two shots off the lead. However, on their return birdies still proved hard to find.

It was not until the long second, his 11th, that Harrington managed a first birdie of the day. Although another birdie came at the short seventh, it followed his one bogey of the day.

"I was disappointed to make the bogey on six (his 15th) and had reasonable chances on the last two greens, so maybe a shot or two better would have been certainly what it felt like," said the Dubliner afterwards.

Ireland's closest challenge was Holywood's Rory McIlroy, who is eagerly awaiting his Masters debut after charging into the world's top 40 little more than a year into his professional career. He stood four under after 12 when the light went.

Gary Murphy was a shot back on three-under after his 69 left him inside the top 20.

Damien McGrane was two-under through 10 and Peter Lawrie level par after 15 holes. Both resume tomorrow.

It was same old story for Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard may be on his way to overtaking Tiger Woods as world number one, but he is making life very difficult for himself on the greens.

Garcia began his 2009 campaign in brilliant fashion, grabbing three birdies and then a sparkling eagle in the first 10 holes.

That left the 29-year-old 'Race To Dubai' leader five-under-par and only one behind Edfors and Lundberg — but on the next two greens he missed par putts of under three feet.

There was time for Garcia to play only two more holes — and he will resume in the morning three under and joint 15th.