Joachim B. Hansen reeled in overnight leader Kurt Kitayama before a sandstorm brought an end to play on day two of the Oman Open.
Relatively calm conditions had allowed for some good scoring in the very early stages at Al Mouj Golf but the winds picked up, bringing sand with them, and play was suspended at 11:38.
The situation was monitored but the winds never dropped to a level where play could be resumed, and the second round will restart at 07:40 on Saturday.
Hansen had just made a smart par on the par five 16th to stay four under for the day and six under for the week with two to play when play was suspended.
Kitayama was also at six under through 13 holes but was in trouble at the par three fifth, having found water off the tee just before the hooter sounded.
Only 11 players were able to complete their rounds and among them was Maximilian Kieffer, who signed for a 70 to hold the clubhouse lead at five under.
Kieffer was out in the very first group of the day and he soon moved to within two of the lead with birdies on the second and third.
Kitayama birdied the 12th and 14th to jump out to eight under and another Kieffer gain on the seventh meant he was the nearest challenger on his own.
The leader then bogeyed the 15th, picked the shot back up on the next but dropped another stroke on the 17th, and when Kieffer made a gain on the 12th, the lead was tied.
Hansen started the day four shots off the lead but a brilliant burst of scoring around the turn moved him into a share of top spot.
Last season's European Challenge Tour Rankings winner made birdies on the tenth and 14th but was still well back when he dropped a shot on the 15th.
He then birdied the 16th, 17th and first, and a six foot putt on the second had him in a share of the lead.
Further birdies from eight and 12 feet on the second and third put the 28-year-old two ahead but he found water off the tee on the par three next for a double bogey.
Kitayama played a lovely bunker shot on the third but had a stroke of terrible luck as a squall blew his ball into a another bunker from its resting point on the green.
He did well to get up and down to save par and a Hansen bogey on the sixth meant Kitayama was back in the solo lead.
That did not last long, however, as he missed the green on the fourth and failed to get up and down.
Kieffer bogeyed the 14th and 17th on the way in but would have been glad to be in clubhouse at five under before the horn blew.
Scott Jamieson and Yusaku Miyazato were yet to start their rounds at five under and sat a shot clear of Gaganjeet Bhullar, Benjamin Hebert and Hugo Leon.
Bhullar and Leon were three under for the day through ten and 12 holes respectively, while Hebert was two under after 14.
