Scott Hend needed just two holes to extend his lead to three shots before play was suspended due to fog on day three of the Omega European Masters.
Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club provides the most spectacular backdrop of the European Tour season but it was hardly visible on Saturday as heavy rain and mist made some of the holes unplayable, with play suspended at 2.36pm local time.
Play was scheduled to restart at 5.00pm.
Australian Hend had entered the day with a one-shot lead over South African Darren Fichardt but a two-shot swing on the first handed him a three-shot advantage at 14 under.
Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti was then at ten under, a shot clear of Australian Todd Sinnott and two ahead of Ryan Fox, Marcus Fraser, Thongchai Jaidee and Richard Sterne.
Hend was defeated by an Alex Noren birdie on the first extra hole here last season en route to finishing a career-high 27th in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.
His ball looked to have sat down in the rough off the first tee but he muscled an excellent second to 12 feet for a birdie and when playing partner Fichardt dropped a shot for the first time this week with a three-putt, the lead was quickly up to three.
The 44 year old then parred the second, with Fichardt on the green with a par putt when the hooter sounded.
Zanotti hit a smart approach to the second for a birdie while Sinnott stayed bogey-free for the week as he parred the first three holes.
Australian Fraser had an eagle, three birdies and a bogey in his first 13 holes, with South African Sterne making a single birdie in his first five.
Kiwi Fox parred his first four holes, while Thai Jaidee bogeyed the first after a poor tee-shot.
Dane Lucas Bjerregaard, Scot David Drysdale and American Julian Suri were then seven shots off the lead, with Swede Rikard Karlberg and China's Ashun Wu in the clubhouse at six under.
