KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 - Miguel Angel Martin reeled off six birdies and an eagle-three in a course record-equalling 63 to take an early two-shot lead in the second round of the weather-affected Malaysian Open Friday.

The Spaniard, who was a member of Europe’s triumphant Ryder Cup team in 1997, moved to 13-under-par 129 at the Royal Selangor Golf Club, with South Korea’s Anthony Kang second on 131 after a 65.

Another Spaniard, Ignacio Garrido, was third on 132, after carding a second-round 67. Englishman Phil Golding (67) was fourth in the clubhouse on 133.

Six times major champion Nick Faldo crashed down the leaderboard on Friday with an eight-over 79 and, despite his impressive 68 the previous day, had no chance of making the halfway cut with his five-over total of 147.

Martin was one of 36 players who had to complete their first rounds earlier in the day after play was suspended for two hours on Thursday afternoon following a tropical thunderstorm.

He ended up with a tidy 66 and then, after a quick turnaround, got off to a red-hot start to his second round with four birdies and an eagle at the par-five third in his first six holes.

Another birdie at the ninth took him to the turn in only 29 and the Spaniard picked up another shot at the par-four 16th for a back nine of 34.

However, the Spaniard’s eight-under-par round was still good enough to equal the course record jointly set by Britons Barry Lane and Alastair Forsyth on Thursday.

Second round scores

128 Alastair Forsyth 63 65

129 Miguel Angel Martin 66 63

131 Anthony Kang 66 65 132 Ignacio Garrido 65 67 133 Alex Cejka 68 65, Philip Golding 66 67, Maarten Lafeber 66 67

134 Mike Cunning 69 65, Ricardo Gonzalez 65 69, Barry Lane 63 71, Stephen Leaney 67 67, Arjun Singh 67 67

135 Michael Campbell 69 66, Richard Johnson 68 67, Brad Kennedy 68 67, Andrew Pitts 69 66.

GENUITY CHAMPIONSHIP