Bernd Wiesberger fired a stunning bogey-free 65 to open up a four-shot lead before the second round of the Shenzhen International was suspended due to storms.
The morning wave had just completed their second rounds before the storms arrived at Genzon Golf Club, bringing lightning and heavy rain, with none of the afternoon players having completed more than nine holes.
Wiesberger had returned to complete his first round in the morning after Thursday's delay, birdieing the 17th to get within one of the lead, and he added a further seven gains in round two to get to 12 under.
Dylan Frittelli and Thorbjørn Olesen emerged as his closest challengers after rounds of 68, with Richie Ramsay a further shot back alongside Grégory Bourdy and Bubba Watson, who were on course when the hooter sounded at 1440.
The second round will resume at 0630 on Saturday, with round three set to go off two tees in three-balls no earlier than 1130.
Wiesberger has been in stunning form over the last eight months having not missed a cut and claiming seven top-five finishes as he seeks a fourth European Tour title.
"I can’t complain about the score today," said the Austrian. "It was a long day, I got up at 0430 to finish a couple of holes.
"I started well and picked up from the day before. I hit a drive down 17 early in the morning and got my round in of 67 so I was pleased with that and I kept going that way, driving the ball nicely and putting really well.
"I was feeling comfortable when I was getting the ball on the green and rolling in well on the green, so that was key for me today to get something in the mid 60s.
"I played a few holes on Tuesday and I said to my caddie it feels like a course that suits me and suits my game. I knew I was playing decent coming into this week."
I said to my caddie it feels like a course that suits me and suits my game. I knew I was playing decent coming into this week - Bernd Wiesberger
Wiesberger made birdies on the 13th and 14th to get to seven under and join Thongchai Jaidee, who had gains on the same holes, in top spot.
The Thai then dropped a shot on the next but regained it on the 17th as Olesen began to make his way through the field.
The Dane birdied the tenth and 12th and when he added another on the 16th, he was in a share of the lead, before Frittelli made an even bigger move.
Having started the day alongside Olesen at four under, he made a gain on the third before a hat-trick of birdies from the ninth and another on the 13th catapulted him into the lead on his own.
A double-bogey on the 15th stalled his progress and with Olesen dropping a shot on the 18th, the door was open to Wiesberger.
He burst through it, birdieing the 17th and first as Frittelli set the clubhouse target at eight under after making a gain on the penultimate hole.
Olesen also bounced back with birdies on the second and sixth but Wiesbrger made further gains on the first, fourth, seventh and ninth to open up a four-shot advantage.
Scotsman Ramsay started with a bogey on the tenth but three birdies in a row saw him bounce back and he turned in 33 with another on the 17th. He then bogeyed the fifth but rallied again with gains on the seventh and eighth.
Overnight leader Watson had a birdie on the second in his first five holes, while Bourdy birdied the second and fourth and will have 14 holes to complete on Saturday.
George Coetzee, Scott Jamieson and Jordan Smith were then in the clubhouse at six under alongside Haydn Porteous who had completed eight holes.
Jaidee and Mike Lorenzo-Vera were in the clubhouse at five under.
