Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Sports Network) - Hennie Otto fired an eight-under 64 on Friday to grab a share of the lead with the second round of the Malaysian Open suspended for the day.

Otto was joined atop the leaderboard by fellow South African Jbe Kruger, who carded a seven-under 65. They are tied at nine-under-par 135.

Louis Oosthuizen hasn't let his playoff loss at the Masters, or his 30-hour trip from Augusta to Kuala Lumpur, stop his solid play. The South African was two-under par through 12 holes and is alone in third at minus-eight.

Former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer (67) and Martin Lipsky (67) share fourth place at minus-seven. They were joined there by Stephen Gallacher, who was minus-two after 11 holes of his round.

The second round at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club was stopped due to lightning in the area and was eventually called for the day. The round will resume at 7:30 a.m. (local time) Saturday.

Otto, who was in the first group out, started a bogey-free round with birdies on the third and fifth. After a pair of pars, a birdie on the eighth got him to four-under.

The 35-year-old South African birdied the par-five 10th, then dropped in back- to-back birdie efforts from the 13th to jump to minus-seven.

Otto, who has top-10 finishes in his last two tour starts, converted birdie chances at the 16th and 18th to grab a share of the lead.

"I have been playing well recently and we are taking small steps and gradually getting there," Otto stated. "Most of the work that I have been doing is really on the mental side as opposed to the technical side of things and I am sticking with and trying to build on that momentum."

Kruger started his round on the back nine and he got going with his second birdie in two days at the 10th. He came back with a birdie on the 12th. He parred three in a row before birdies at 16 and 18 helped him make the turn at minus-six.

The 25-year-old, who won the Avantha Masters earlier this year, rolled in a birdie effort on the second, but gave that stroke right back with a bogey on the third.

Kruger bounced back with his second birdie in two days on both the fourth and fifth. He joined Otto atop the leaderboard with a birdie on No. 7, then parred the final two holes to end there.

"I think all of us (South Africans) are coming into this tournament with a little bit of form coming back," Kruger stated. "I spoke to Charl (Schwartzel) and he said he was struggling in the last couple of weeks. I was struggling as well, so I guess we are just coming back into form."

Schwartzel was the first-round leader, but was struggling in the second round. He had a birdie and four bogeys through 12 holes to fall into a share of 12th at minus-five.

Jeev Milkha Singh, who trailed Schwartzel by one after the first round, also dipped to five-under par as he had a birdie and three bogeys in the group behind Schwartzel.

NOTES: Defending champion Matteo Manassero carded an even-par 72 despite two bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-five fifth...The cut is projected to fall at even-par 144...If it remains there, Alejandro Canizares, Thaworn Wiratchant and Oliver Fisher will be among those missing the cut.

04/13 07:54:54 ET