Toru Taniguchi held the clubhouse lead with a 7-under 65 on Thursday as the opening round of the Japan PGA Championship was suspended by darkness.
Taniguchi, the 2010 winner of the major tournament on the Japanese tour, made seven birdies without a bogey at Karasuyamajo Country Club in Tochigi Prefecture.
Thunder halted play for more than 90 minutes early in the afternoon, and 42 players were unable to complete their rounds.