Padraig Harrington posted a bogey-free three-under-par 69 in his first round since early December in yesterday's Maybank Malaysian Open at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

The pre-tournament favourite, who began on the back nine, had a promising start with three birdies - at the 12th, 17th and 18th - but could not capitalise on that after the turn as he played the next nine holes in regulation.

The Dubliner trails Miguel Angel Jimenez by five shots after the Spaniard reached eight under par after 17 holes with a birdie blitz that was halted only by the fading light on a day when play was interrupted for nearly three hours by a thunderstorm.

Jimenez, with just the 615-yard par-five 18th to play, leads Thaworn Wiratchant by a stroke after the Thai carded a 65 and was safely back in the clubhouse before the rains came.

"I played very well, very solid tee to green, and was quite good on the greens. I got going after the break so I am sure I will be okay in the morning," said Jemenez.

The Spaniard, who has won at least once on the European Tour for each of the last three years, enjoyed a superb start with birdies at the first and second before an eagle at the par-five third took him to four under.

His next birdie did not come until the 10th but he then had a run of three in successive holes from the 14th to leave him eight under.

Wiratchant (39), the 2005 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, benefited from the early sunshine to sink eight birdies for a seven-under-par round.

That would have equalled the course record but the scores will not count because preferred lies are in use this week.

One stroke further back was a group containing Ireland's Gary Murphy, Welshman Garry Houston, England's Richard Finch and Italian Francesco Molinari.

Finch (28) bogeyed the par-three 11th - his second hole - but carded five birdies in the next seven holes, including four in a row, to turn in 32.

Back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth in a bogey-free final nine saw him close on 66.

Murphy completed the back nine in four under, and three birdies and only one bogey after the turn also brought him a round of 66, while David Higgins is two under par after 15 holes and Michael Hoey one under par after nine.

Welshman Stephen Dodd posted a five-under-par 67, which included seven birdies and two bogeys, for joint sixth spot.

The highlight of the day was Ross Fisher's hole in one with a pitching wedge at the 146-yard fourth, but he immediately carded a double-bogey seven at the next and finished alongside Harrington at three under par.

When play was called off at 7.30pm local time only a handful of the afternoon groups had finished and 66 players will have to resume this morning.