A stacked leaderboard has only swelled after play resumed at the sodden Royal Queensland course for the now 54-hole Australian PGA Championship.

Torrential rain in Brisbane eventually took its toll at the riverside layout, with no play possible on Friday.

Morning showers didn't stop a 6am start on Saturday though in the $2 million showpiece, which is now a three-round event.

The full field will play their second rounds with the top half who make the cut graduating to a shootout for the title on Sunday.

Elvis Smylie's six-under 65 was good enough for the outright, first-round lead and the Queenslander will start his second round at 11.40am (AEST).

He remained at the top of the leaderboard early on Saturday, with Victorian Matias Sanchez and Swiss talent Joel Girrbach (five under) even through 11 holes while French contender Victor Perez had dropped a shot to be four under through 12 holes.

Former US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy (four under) had improved two strokes through 10 holes on Saturday morning while New Zealand young gun Kazuma Kobori (four under) was another early mover.

Finland's Tapio Pulkkanen dropped a shot on the 10th hole but was still one under for the morning to be three under and stalking the leaders.

Major winners Cameron Smith and Jason Day (four under), playing in the marquee group with defending champion Min Woo Lee (three under), will be in the mix when they tee off at 11.20am local time.