South Korea’s KJ Choi has seized a one-stroke clubhouse lead before heavy rain halted play on Friday during the second round of the US PGA tournament in South Carolina.

Choi fired a four-under par 67, making three birdies and a bogey on both the front and back nines to stand on five-under 137 after 36 holes.

Play was stopped with half the field unable to finish the second round.

Australia’s Robert Allenby, who had a birdie-birdie start, was second on four-under after five holes when play was halted.

“We can’t play anymore. It’s pretty bad out there,” tour competition vice president Slugger White said. “We’ll try to turn it around and get the third round in and get back on track Sunday somewhere.”

The second round was due to resume on Saturday morning.

England’s Luke Donald was in the clubhouse on 139 along with Americans Billy Hurley and Scott Lang while Americans Bo Van Pelt and Ben Martin were on the course also at three-under.

Choi birdied the par-5 second and fifth holes but followed a birdie at the eighth with a bogey at nine. He birdied 11 and 13 but took bogey at the par-5 15th before responding with a birdie at 16.

American Bill Haas, the first-round leader at last week’s Masters, withdrew on Friday with a wrist injury after firing a 72 on Thursday. It was his first career withdrawal from a PGA event.