R

ain disrupted the final round of the SMBC Singapore Open on Sunday with South Korean Song Young-hun remaining in firm control over his close rivals.

He was two strokes ahead of Liang Wen-chong of China and world number one Jordan Spieth of the US in the US$1 million tournament, cosanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO).

However, the positions could change when Song and Spieth return to the Serapong Golf Course on Monday morning to complete their rounds. Though the rain subsided after three hours on Sunday, unabated thunderstorms made it unlikely that the players could continue their play.

Having completed 15 holes, Song was 12-under par and Spieth was 10-under par through 17 holes, while Liang, the 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, closed out 10-under-par 274 after four rounds.

Song and Spieth were among those who had to carry over their third-round games to Sunday morning when the former later carded two and the latter one-under.

The following episode folded up in favor of Spieth with the pretournament favorite signing for four-under against Song'€™s one-under before the rain arrived.

It did not turn out to be an easy venture, though, for Spieth. After making two birdies on the second and fourth holes, he fell to a bogey on the fifth.

He somehow struggled on the following green when he overshot from the tee box with the ball rolling out of the rough, squeezing between the legs of spectators and landing across the path. But he was still able to manage it for a par.

He scored three more birdies to reduce the game by two strokes against the leader. While he was bidding for another birdie on the last hole he was forced to head for a shelter as rain began to fall.

On the other part of the course, Song was preparing to strike a putt on the 16th when he had to step back following the announcement of suspension of play due to inclement weather.

The organizers provided weather updates every 30 minutes before they decided three hours later to resume on Monday at 7:30 a.m.

'€œAs we are unable to complete all 72 holes today due to persistent thunderstorms, play will be extended to Monday and we look forward to declaring a worthy winner tomorrow,'€ tournament director Jittisak Tamprasert said later in a written announcement.

Other players to complete their rounds included Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines; Hideto Tanihara, Shintaro Kobayashi, Tetsuji Hiratsuka and Keiichiro Fukabori of Japan; Keith Horne and Jbe'€™ Kruger of South Africa; Paul Peterson of the US; Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand; and An Byeong-hun and Chang Yi-keun from South Korea.

Tabuena, Tanihara and Kobayashi matched nine-under par, all having to round off the last hole on Monday when Song will be bidding to become the first Korean player to win the tournament that was first held in 1961.