Play set to resume at 16:40hrs

Play is set to resume at 16:40 at Royal Portrush with Jeev Milkha Singh the clubhouse leader on 7 under at The Irish Open, after a round of 65, before play was suspended due to bad weather at Royal Portrush.

The Indian carded eight birdies and a single bogey before a storm halted play for 95 minutes, with a 4.40 resumption scheduled.

“I think links golf, you have to hit a lot of low shots and you have to have a lot of imagination,” said the three-time European Tour winner.

“I think a lot of feel, imagination is required, and that's what I love about links golf. 

“The atmosphere and the feel to the golf course, I think is fantastic. I think it just feels great.”

Singh was one ahead of English pair Mark Foster and Andrew Marshall, as well as Australian Matthew Zions.

Watched by a sell-out crowd - a first for The European Tour in a regular event - that included First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy Martin McGuinness, Foster was first to post a six under par 66.

The 36 year old, a winner of only one title in more than 300 starts, said: "When we came to the course the rain was sideways and yet people were queuing to get in.

"It's amazing here and I've never heard a buzz about the course that there is in the players' lounge this week.

"It was throwing it down when we got up, but that was no surprise and you've just got to be professional about it.

"At least it was not that windy. But that will come - the course will show its teeth no problem."

He was six under through ten holes himself, rolled in a nine footer on the 13th, but bogeyed the 15th after chipping into a bunker and then hitting the flagstick with his recovery.

Singh reached seven under with six to play, bogeyed the short 14th, but closed with a birdie to go back to the top on his own with a 65.

Australian Zions, a winner in St Omer last year but without a top-20 finish this campaign, had four birdies in his last five holes and said: “I got off to a good start, which I seem to be doing a lot lately.

“It was just nice to kind of tie it all together today. I did everything good, I drove it really well. The course requires a lot of accuracy off the tee, and I drove it very, very well today.” 

That came just before play was suspended at 3.05pm because of an approaching storm - with Rory McIlroy two under after eight. 

It was announced that, even though it was still raining hard, play would be restarting at 4.40pm - a loss of 95 minutes.