It gave the 33-year-old from Aberdeen a halfway total of 12 under and two shot lead over Australian

Richard Green and Midlander John Bickerton, and puts him in pole position to go one better than his second place in the event last year.

Bad weather reduced that event to 36 holes and Lawrie lost out in a sudden death play-off with eventual winner Paul McGinley and Daren Lee.

The trio played the par three 12th over and over again to find a winner, Lawrie bowing out after three-putting the second time around, McGinley sealing victory and his Ryder Cup place with a par three at the fifth time of asking.

Ironically Lawrie was left facing a six-foot birdie putt on the same hole last night when the third and final suspension of play occurred, and made no mistake when play resumed despite a wait of almost 17 hours.

A similar result in the play-off would of course have given him the title last year, but he still looks a good bet to win his fifth European Tour title if tournament officials get their wish to complete 72 holes.

Further birdies at the 16th and 18th saw him home in 33 to card a 65 that equalled the record established by South African James Kingston and Australian Richard Green in the first round.

Lawrie is gaining an unwanted reputation as the bad weather champion. His first tour win in the 1996 Open Catalonia came when the tournament was reduced to 36 holes because of high winds.

He did master the Shamal wind in Qatar to win over 72 holes in 1999, before his famous win in the windswept Open at Carnoustie a few months later, and won the Dunhill Links Championship last year when more bad weather forced the tournament into a fifth day.

Even his win in last week’s Scottish Matchplay championship was delayed by bad weather, the final moved from Deesside because of flooding to his native Aberdeen, only to be delayed by fog.

Lawrie said: “That was nice, a satisfactory morning’s work. I’m going back to the hotel now to chill out for a few hours.

“I’m not going to tee off until about 6:30pm this evening and I might not tee off at all. We’ll have to wait and see.

“The prospect of 36 holes tomorrow wouldn’t worry me. I feel very fit. I’ve been working on building up my fitness slowly over a long period. I’ve lost a little weight but gained strength and it definitely helps.”

Bickerton carded his second successive 67 to finish on 10 under, first round joint leader Green adding a 69 to his opening 65.

“I was up at 5am this morning along with everyone else,” said the left-hander, who won the Dubai Desert Classic in 1997 in a play-off with Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam.

“It was hard to get going early on and I was yawning my head off still on the sixth hole. It was a bit of a struggle bit I got through it and played nicely on the back nine.”

Pre-tournament favourite Darren Clarke carded two double-bogeys in his disappointing 74 to lie two under, while defending champion McGinley showed encouraging signs of a return to form ahead of next month’s Ryder Cup with a 71 to be four under.

Tournament officials hope to start the third round later today and complete it tomorrow, with the fourth round also staged on Sunday, weather permitting.