Strong winds ruined the second day of the Qatar Masters with less than three hours' action possible before play was called off.
Officials monitored the situation all morning after the players were first called off at 09.13am local time and were close to deciding on a 12.15pm restart.
However, the gusts went up towards 35mph again and that was too much to keep balls still on the greens.
At 13.45pm a final annoucement confirmed that no more play would be possible and shortly afterwards European Tour officials revealed that the tournament would be reduced to 54 holes.
In the limited play that was possible, Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano fell out of the lead after starting the day with a one-shot advantage following a superb six-under 66.
The 31-year-old from Madrid, resuming on the back nine, bogeyed the 13th and 14th to slip back to four under.
Daly back in front
That meant American John Daly was back in front, at five-under, without hitting a shot.
Fernandez-Castano was alongside Australian Jason Day and Korean KJ Choi in second place. Choi had yet to tee off again, but Day's six pars before the stoppage meant he was still to drop a shot in the tournament.
Lee Westwood's day began well with a birdie on the 11th, but he double-bogeyed the next and when he ran up a five on the 410-yard 14th he was one over and only joint 48th.
Despite the conditions Ireland's Damien McGrane went to the turn in a five-under 31, although, having started with a 78, he was still only one over.
But four birdies in six holes by South African Branden Grace, twice a winner already this season, lifted him into a tie for 15th on one under.
The stoppages, reduction to 54 holes and rescheduling didn't go down well with several players.
Westwood posted a photo on Twitter and wrote in the caption: "It is now comfortably better conditions than we played in yesterday afternoon."
And in a follow-up tweet he added: "8.45 restart tomorrow which I can't quite understand. Cutting getting the 2nd round finished tomorrow fine!"
Fellow Englishman Chris Wood said on Twitter: "played 23 holes in a gale with the sand and then we get stopped?!! 54 hole tournament early starters thursday must be rubbing their hands."
