The first round of the Sao Paulo Brazil Open was suspended due to lightning at 3 p.m. local time yesterday, preventing Ireland's David Higgins from building on the momentum he had achieved with his opening nine holes.
Higgins shot 33 - one bogey, five pars, two birdies and an eagle - before the play was suspended and later abandoned for the day. The round will be completed from 10.45 a.m. Irish time today.
Ireland's other representative, Philip Walton, managed to complete his round, finishing on two-under-par 69, four shots off the lead held by Sweden's Per Nyman.
Australian Brett Rumford carded a first-round 66, five under par, to lie just one shot off the lead before the early end to the day's play with half the 144-man field still to complete their rounds.
Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin matched Rumford's 66 for a share of second place - with Germany's Erol Simsek, Spain's Santiago Luna and France's Thomas Levet another shot back.
The 23-year-old Rumford bogeyed his opening hole at the course but then picked up six birdies in his last 12 holes to finish just one behind playing partner Nyman.
Rumford shot to prominence when he won the Australian Tour Players' Championship in 1999 while still an amateur but has since seen young compatriots Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley surpass his achievements with a victory each already this season on the European Tour.
But he is confident he can match their feats after gaining his card at the qualifying school in November. "I know my game is there; I have the ability," said Rumford. "I just have to be patient and I know it will happen eventually.
"The best advice Jack Nicklaus said he could give to young players was to be patient.
"Seeing what Adam and Badds have done gives me confidence, though. I have competed against them and beaten them."
Nyman was relieved to be back on form after losing his card last season by finishing a lowly 150th on the money list.
"It's been a long time since my name was at the top of the leaderboard," the Swede admitted. "This is a good opportunity this week without some of the big names here; if they were here I wouldn't get in."
