SINGAPORE -- Chih Bing Lam upstaged the big names to take a first-round lead at the $5 million Barclays Singapore Open on Thursday in a bid to become the first local player to win the tournament.

Lam birdied three of the final four holes to finish with a 4-under 67 and the clubhouse lead over Australia's Marcus Both (68) in an opening round delayed by lightning. Play was halted because of darkness with almost half the field unable to finish their opening rounds.

"I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens today, and I'm thrilled to be top of the leaderboard," said the 31-year-old Lam.

South Africa's Ernie Els, who lost this tournament in a playoff in 2006 before missing the cut last year, was 3 under after 14 holes when play was called off, leaving him tied for second on the leaderboard with Both, England's Oliver Wilson and India's Digvijay Singh.

Phil Mickelson, who lost his No. 2 ranking to Spain's Sergio Garcia last week, shot 73 and is six strokes off the pace in the star-studded Asian Tour event. He recovered after bogeys on four of the first six holes and was tied with Darren Clarke.

Mickelson, meanwhile, was encouraged with his score after bogeying three of his first four holes.

"I know 2 over par does not sound good, but I will actually take it. I got off to a terrible start and I was 3 over early," said the American. "This is the worst chipping round I have had in years that I can remember. I hit five or six of the worst chips I have hit for a long time.

"I do not feel I shot myself out of the tournament by any means and a good round tomorrow will get me right back in it," he added. "Anything in the 60s will put me right back in it. I do not think anybody is going to go too far under par here."

Play was dogged by rain for most of the morning.

"The conditions were windy, it was rain, it was tough," Mickelson said.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington, winner of two majors in 2008, had a 72, while two-time winner Adam Scott of Australia struggled with a 76.

Englishman Ian Poulter withdrew from the tournament after he was unable to replace a driver that was stolen in Shanghai last week.

American Bryan Saltus retired after he dislocated his right knee slipping on his second shot of the first hole.

Teeing off in the afternoon, Els picked up an eagle on the fourth and had two more birdies, offset by a lone bogey, as he moved to 3 under through 14 holes.

Wilson had birdies on the fourth, sixth and 10th and the Englishman was bogey-free through 12 holes when play was halted with 71 players still on the course.

But it was Lam who stole the limelight after sparkling in soggy conditions at the Serapong course. He made an excellent start after teeing off on the back nine with a birdie on his first hole and three in four just before the turn.

He dropped his only shot of the day when he missed a 20-footer for par at the fifth but a birdie on the eighth put him back on top on 4 under.

"It's jus another tournament for me," said the Singaporean, who secured a place at this year's British Open with a top-four finish in the qualifier at the same course.

"Even though it's our national Open and the biggest tournament on the Asian Tour, I still have to go out there and do my job no matter what. So it's just going to be another day at the office for me tomorrow.

"Being familiar with a golf course is a little bit overrated. At the end of the day, you still have to go out and produce the shots," he added. "But being at home, sleeping in my own bed and getting the crowd behind me is definitely a boost."

Harrington, a notoriously slow starter, was let down by his bogey at the last but felt encouraged by his opening effort.

"It certainly had the potential to be better but it is a 72 and I am encouraged by the way I hit it," said the Irishman, who had three birdies and four bogeys.

"I feel good. I am enthusiastic about playing and keen to get out there. I played nicely out there today and that is encouraging for the next couple of days," he added. "I do need to score a little better but I need to be a little patient when it comes to that."

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