Three players share the clubhouse lead after the third day of The Celtic Manor Wales Open, with a handful of players still to finish their third rounds.
After the start of the third round had been delayed for well over six hours because of heavy rain that flooded fairways and bunkers, play went on until almost 9pm.
That was still not enough time for everybody to finish and when the action was halted European Tour rookie Richie Ramsay, the overnight leader, was four under par with two to go and one behind England's Nick Dougherty, Spaniard Ignacio Garrido and Dane Jeppe Huldahl.
Dougherty made a magnificent recovery from a front nine 40, picking up three birdies and then a closing eagle in the gathering gloom for an inward 30.
More downpours are forecast for the final day and Dougherty said: "I prepared as if this was the last round and I'm proud of myself because I got into the lead.
"I backed myself, which is something I've not done for a year. I deserved the good results I got and my putter got hot again. If you trust yourself there's a good chance it will happen."
Huldahl, who has never had a top ten finish in 44 events on the circuit, shot a superb three under 68, while Garrido had a level par 71.
“I managed to stay out of trouble pretty much all the way through and got up and down when it got important,” said Huldahl.
“I do pretty well in tough conditions normally, so I quite like it. Even though it's tough today, it was good fun.”
English duo Simon Dyson and Paul Waring are both alongside Ramsay at four under, although both have completed their third rounds unlike the Scot.
“If you can scrap it around and sort of keep it close to par, it gives you half a chance,” said Waring. “I know a lot of guys are going to struggle, and it's so easy to see why the scoring is so bad. It is really tough out there.”
