BEIJING, 26 Oct, 2014 (AFP) - Play at the par-72 Jian Lake club in Sanya on the southern island of Hainan was set to continue Monday morning, according to the event's website.
Pace (67, 66) stood at 15 under par Sunday through 13 holes, four shots ahead of Michelle Wie of the United States (67, 68) who finished the same hole.
The South African scored four birdies Sunday including on the par-4 12th hole before play was suspended.
Jessica Korda of the US (66, 67), who had shared the lead with Pace going into the final round, stood at 10 under par through 13 holes after racking up a pair of bogeys on the ninth and 12th holes.
Germany's Caroline Masson (67, 69) was at 10 under par through 14 holes, while Danielle Kang (68, 68) of the US was at nine under through the same hole.
Lydia Ko of New Zealand (69, 70, 68) was one of only two golfers among the top 10 names on the leaderboard to finish the final round, firing a four-under par 68 to end the tournament at nine under.
Jenny Shin of South Korea (71-70-67) was the other, finishing at eight-under par.
Pace is aiming for her first LPGA Tour career win after coming off a ninth career victory on the Ladies European Tour in South Africa.
The Jian Lake club has been hit by heavy rains, with organisers being forced to reduce the $2 million tournament from four rounds to three.
Darkness-delayed partial scores at the par-72 course:
133 - Lee-Anne PACE (RSA) 67-66 (15-under par through 13 holes)
135 - Michelle WIE (USA) 67-68 (11-under par through 13 holes)
136 - Caroline MASSON (GER) 67-69 (10-under par through 14th hole)
133 - Jessica KORDA (USA) 66-67 (10-under par through 13 holes)
207 - Lydia KO (NZL) 69-70-68
136 - Danielle KANG (USA) 68-68 (nine-under par through 14 holes)
208 - Jenny SHIN (KOR) 71-70--67
135 - FENG Shanshan (CHN) 67-68 (eight-under par through 13 holes)
135 Brittany LANG (USA) 67-68 (eight-under par through 13 holes)
134 Chella CHOI (KOR) 68-66 (eight-under through 13 holes)