Daugherty, Chia tied for Malaysian lead

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 7 (UPI) -- Danny Chia and Nick Dougherty are tied for the lead halfway through the Malaysian Open stop of the European PGA Tour.

Rain and a two-hour lightning delay forced suspension of play and several golfers were unable to finish their rounds Friday.

Dougherty backed his first-round 62 with a 2-under-par 70 Friday. Chia, playing in his home country, shot 5-under 67 in his second round. The co-leaders are at 12-under 132.

Soren Kjeldsen is in third at 11-under. Jyoti Randhawa is also 11-under-par but will need to finish two holes of his second round before third-round play starts Saturday.

Chia opened his round Friday with birdies at Nos. 10 and 11 and went to 3-under on the day with a birdie at 16. But he had a 6 at the par-5 18th hole. Birdies at 8 and 9 put him in the lead.

Dougherty posted a birdie at No. 1 but gave that stroke back at the second hole. He rallied with birdies at Nos. 5 and 7 to get to 12-under for the tournament. He slipped out of the lead briefly with a bogey at 16 but was on top after a finishing-hole birdie.