Begay weathers Madrid storm

The 34-year-old former college friend of Tiger Woods just beat the fading light to set the clubhouse target for the rest of the field, half of whom did not even hit a shot as only five hours' play was possible.

Four times a winner on the US Tour before suffering chronic back problems and losing his card, Begay entered the European Tour qualifying school last November and came through it in joint sixth place.

"When I played the US Tour it was rumoured the weather was bad in Europe and I can testify they were not exaggerating," he said. "Thankfully the food and the service was great because we did a lot of sitting around.

"I also had to play the course blind because my clubs did not arrive until Tuesday night and I was not in the pro-am.

"My sciatic nerve was really bothering me too, but I've just dealt with it the last couple of years and my wife and I are thoroughly enjoying our time over here."

Also four under par, still with holes to play on Friday morning, are Swede Steven Jeppesen and Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, while one stroke behind are Ireland's Paul McGinley, Scot Stephen Gallacher and Australian Terry Pilkadaris.

Without a top-10 finish all season - in Europe or America - McGinley has just slipped outside the world's top 100.

However, after waiting two hours to begin his round and managing only one hole before another five-hour delay, the 40-year-old Dubliner hardly put a foot wrong on the sodden Centro Nacional course.

Thanks to birdies at the 11th, 16th, first and sixth McGinley reached four under, but he then bogeyed the next and finished with two pars for a 69 handed in just after 9pm.