Former Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel is looking to continue a remarkable South African domination of this year’s 2013 Race to Dubai schedule in the rain-affected Maybank Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Schwartzel enjoys the clubhouse lead on 10-under par with China’s Ashun Wu, and with both posting 68s  in the co-sanctioned event when poor light halted play in the  Malaysian capital.

If Schwartzel were to eventually succeed in the event it will be the seventh European Tour success in 13 events this by South African born players and that is a feat never before accomplished by any nation in the 41-year history of the European Tour.

A perspiration soaked Padraig Harrington on day two of the Maybank Malaysian Open. (Photo – Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie)

Schwartzel had threatened to break clear of the field during his second round, but a touch of fatigue led to two late bogeys.

The 2011 Masters winner, who won back-to-back tournaments in December last year by a combined total of 23 shots, was four under par after 11 holes of his first round when thunderstorms forced play to be abandoned for the day.

Among 78 players who resumed play this morning at 7.45am local time, Schwartzel completed an opening 67 in style, chipping in for a birdie on the 18th.

That left Schwartzel two shots off the clubhouse lead held by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, but it did not take him long to wipe out that deficit when the second round got under way.

Starting from the tenth, Schwartzel birdied the first two, holed a 15 footer on the 17th and pitched to four feet at the next to turn in 32.

A chip to five feet from the bunker set up a regulation birdie at the long third, before an approach to eight feet at the fifth.

But a loose approach leaked right at the next, and after being bunkered at the seventh the 28 year old could only fire 15 feet past the flag and missed return putt.

That gave him a halfway total of nine under par and a share of the clubhouse lead with Ashun Wu, who had five birdies and just one bogey.

“I can’t be too hard on myself because it’s extraordinarily hot out there,” said Schwartzel. “I lost a bit of concentration towards the end and made bad decisions on the sixth and seventh – poor club selections. I was in the middle of the fairway both times and made bogey. I hit a very poor shot on the seventh.

“It’s been a very long day but through it all I thought I played pretty well. At least I’ve given myself a chance; I’m playing consistently and if I had been a bit sharper today I maybe could have separated myself from the field, but I know I’m playing well and I’m feeling good.”

Wu, who drew level with Schwartzel when he rolled in a 12 foot birdie putt at the ninth, his last, said: “I’m very happy today and my putting is good. I read the lines very well and that made me relax out there.

“I think it’s important to play with a strategy in mind this week and choosing of the right clubs to use will matter as well. I’ve been in a good form lately and I hope to maintain that.

“It’s great that I have the opportunity to play in this co-sanctioned event this week. It’s going to be very competitive because we’ve got all the top players from the Asian Tour and European Tour in the field.”

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat birdied his ninth hole to snatch a one stroke on-course lead at 11-under par and will have his back nine to play when the event resumes early tomorrow.

Italy’s Edoardo Molinari birdied two of his first five holes to move into solo fourth on eight under.