Fernandez-Castano takes lead

Singapore - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano stormed to a three-shot lead at the Singapore Open on Saturday after the Spaniard shot a scintillating 10-under par 61 when he returned to complete his delayed second round.

Playing the easier Tanjong Course at the $6 million event split over two layouts at the Sentosa Golf Club, the 31-year-old finished the final nine holes of his round in five-under par to compile a 15-under total after 36 holes.

Fernandez-Castano, one of 69 players forced to return early on Saturday after a lengthy weather delay the previous afternoon, tapped in a short birdie putt on the 10th and there was no stopping his charge to the top.

The Spaniard's 61 would normally be a course record for the tournament but seasonal wet weather before the event led organisers to adopt "lift, clean and place" rules to protect the courses over the four days.

"I am thrilled, you don't shoot 10-under very often," Fernandez-Castano told reporters.

"You don't really know how the suspensions are going to affect you but I was lucky because yesterday I hadn't teed off before the thunderstorm.

"I took my time. I took it easy and started well with three birdies. It was great and then I had a good start again this morning.

"To play well you need to hole putts and that is what I did."

Italy's Edoardo Molinari also returned early on Saturday and the joint-overnight leader from the first round joined Briton James Morrison in a tie for second place on 12-under par after the Ryder Cup player completed a three-under 68.

Molinari's round was played on the more difficult Serapong Course, the signature layout that will be used for the final 36 holes, and after he birdied the par-four 12th shortly after his resumption, the Italian parred the final six holes.

Filipino Juvic Pagunsan is alone in fourth place on 10-under for the tournament, one ahead of Dane Anders Hansen, Briton Michael Hoey and New Zealander Danny Lee.

Briton Justin Rose and South Korea's Y.E. Yang are among a group of five players sharing a tie for eighth place on eight-under par.

Tournament drawcard Phil Mickelson had an eventful morning, the American reeling off four birdies in five holes to reach six-under before an ugly double-bogey seven on the par-five 18th left him a stroke above the cut line and 11 off the pace.

"I did not have a bogey all day and tired to get aggressive on 18 and took a risk but hit a driver into the water," the 41-year-old lamented.

"But what upset me more was that I took a wedge after I took a drop and it spun back 90 feet into the water ... I do not understand that. That was frustrating."

127 - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) 66-61

130 - James Morrison (ENG) 62-68, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 62-68

132 - Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 66-66

133 - Danny Lee (NZL) 68-65, Anders Hansen (DEN) 69-64, Michael Hoey (NIR) 67-66

134 - Richie Ramsay (SCO) 69-65, Fredrik Andersson (SWE) 68-66, Justin Rose 69-65, Y.E. Yang (KOR) 63-71, Joost Luiten (NED) 69-65

135 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 72-63, Daisuke Maruyama (JPN) 64-71

136 - Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 67-69, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 69-67, Jeff Overton (USA) 68-68, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 72-64, Alexander Noren (SWE) 69-67, Anthony Kim (USA) 70-66, Tjaart van der Walt (RSA) 71-65, Lee Sung (KOR) 65-71

137 - Oliver Fisher (ENG) 66-71, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 65-72, Shane Lowry (IRL) 67-70, Mark Foster (ENG) 70-67, Chawalit Plaphol (THA) 71-66, Jason Knutzon (USA) 70-67, Mo Joong-kyung (KOR) 70-67, Thomas Aiken (RSA) 67-70

Selected:

138 - Colin Montgomerie (SCO) 67-71, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 73-65, Phil Mickelson (USA) 71-67, Ernie Els (RSA) 72-66

139 - Retief Goosen (RSA) 67-72, Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 69-70, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 68-71

Missed cut:

141 - Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 66-75

142 - Camilo Villegas (COL) 71-71

146 - Padraig Harrington (IRL) 69-77