( CNN ) -- World No.3 Luke Donald missed the halfway cut for the first time in his career after failing to shine at the rain-delayed Malaysia Open . Donald recorded rounds of 73 and 74 , leaving him three shots off the cut mark after enduring troubles with his putter . But the Englishman , who is still seeking his first Major title , is confident he will be back on form for the U.S. Masters at Augusta next month . `` I 've got a couple of weeks off to get ready for Augusta and I 'll obviously be very diligent in my preparation , '' Donald told reporters . `` I would have loved to go back home in form , but in golf you just never know . We 've seen it many times before when people go into tournaments with very little form and win , including majors . So you just have to keep plugging away and hope it 's your turn . `` The greens here are very different from what I play on . They are a little slower than what I 'm used to and I just did n't adjust or adapt to them . `` I just could n't read them for the life of me . I 'd think it was right to left and it went the other way . I got John ( his caddie ) to read a few too and we were seeing the same things . `` Tee to green I was n't that far off . But it 's the first time I 've missed the cut in a regular European Tour event since I 've been a pro . `` So I 'm very disappointed for myself and disappointed for the fans who have come out to watch me . '' At the top of the leaderboard , Thailand 's Kiranradech Aphibarnrat currently heads the field by one shot from South Africa 's Charl Schwartzel . But with the rain playing havoc with the playing schedule , organizers announced that play would begin early Sunday with the tournament reduced to 54-holes . Tournament Director David Garland told the European Tour website : `` We 've had another very large storm this afternoon , so suspended play for the day and after further discussions with our major sponsor Maybank the tournament has been reduced to 54 holes . `` We want to wrap it all up with the crowd and everyone here tomorrow . ''
Luke Donald misses halfway cut at Malaysia Open . Donald had never previously missed a halfway cut in his professional career . - The first round of the Australian Goldfields Open, which begins on Sunday, is postponed to Monday because of rain and will be played over two days instead of one. Rain-affected tournament reduced to 54 holes .