Noren leads Malaysian Open by two, McIlroy also makes solid start

Alexander Noren shot an 8-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead in the weather-shortened first day of the Maybank Malaysian Open on Thursday. The tournament is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (73) struggled after only arriving in the country only a day earlier, while Rory McIlroy (69) was three shots behind Noren in a tie for ninth.

Most competitors finished the first round, but some will have to wait until Friday morning because inclement weather forced play to be stopped.

Schwartzel carded a 39 on the front nine at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

“I didn’t sleep very well,” Schwartzel said. “I’m struggling to focus. The golf swing is tight … I was swinging so good last week and the weeks before that. The body isn’t responding right now, but it will come.”

Noren started on the back nine and birdied the 10th, 11th and 12th holes before a bogey on No. 14. The Swede got back on track with two more birdies on the 16th and 17th.

The 2009 European Masters champion started his second nine with more birdies at the first, third and fifth holes and closed out his round with a birdie on No. 9.

“I had two weeks off and I worked a lot harder on my game,” Noren said. “I felt lucky at times when they kept rolling in, but you have to have that sometimes.”

Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who finished his round with four straight birides, was two behind at 66. Manassero turns 18 next week and said it would be a “nice way to celebrate” by winning in Malaysia.

“It will be good to get to a major age,” said Manassero, who became the European Tour’s youngest winner when he captured the Castello Masters Costa Azahar last year. “I played well and holed a few nice 20-footers. I like the grainy greens. I feel like I can hit every putt solid and it gives me confidence putting.”

Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Darren Beck of Australia were a further stroke behind at 67 in a tie for third, while British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (69), top-ranked Martin Kaymer (70) and defending champion Noh Seung-yul (73) trailed.

McIlroy made a solid return to action after his Masters heartache, especially considering he had lost his clubs en route from America to Malaysia, starting brilliantly with birdies at the second, fourth and fifth. The only blemish of McIlroy's round was a bogey at the par-four 14th but he picked up another shot with a 3 at the 17th.

Schwartzel, the man who took advantage of McIlroy's collapse to secure the Green Jacket, did not enjoy such a good day. The South African started at the 10th and bogeyed the 11th, 13th and 16th before staging a recovery of shorts on the front nine by picking up shots at the second and third.

Noren, the leader from Sweden, also started at the 10th, birdied his first three holes before bogeying the 14th. But he picked up further shots at the 16th, 17th, first, third, fifth and ninth.

Manassero had held the clubhouse lead after his 66, posting eight birdies and two bogeys and he is a shot clear of a three-strong group at 5 under that includes Scotland's Stephen Gallacher.

Noren admitted he was slightly surprised by the quality of his putting but felt a recent break had done him the world of good.

"I was really nervous going into this round. I don't know why. I'm normally nervous after a little break," he said. "I started off holing a nice putt on 10, 11 and 12 and thought 'what's going on'? I had bogey on 14 and then I managed to putt well.

"My putter was great today. After that, my driver was steady then it was all about getting it close enough,” he added. “I felt lucky at times when they kept rolling in, but you have to have that sometimes. I holed a lot from 6 or 7 meters."