Saturday 28 February 2015 23:26, UK
Padraig Harrington surged into the halfway lead at the delayed Honda Classic before torrential storms curtailed play on the third day in Palm Beach Gardens.
Harrington returned to PGA National early on Saturday to complete his second round following frequent weather delays over the first two days, and he added a 66 to his opening 67 to hit the front on seven under par - one shot clear of American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed.
But the 43-year-old was unable to begin his third round, and only eight groups were on the course when officials suspended play yet again due to approaching thunder and lightning.
Heavy rain then rendered the course unplayable, and the decision was taken to abandon play for the day with the third round action provisionally set to resume on Sunday at 10am local time (3pm GMT).
The resumption was originally scheduled for 7am, but the time was put back by three hours due to the severe damage to the course, and organisers have warned that the tournament is heading for a Monday finish.
PGA Tour vice president of rules and competition Slugger White said: "We've pretty much got a mess. We'll just play as long as we can until dark and finish the tournament on Monday."
A two-tee start has been enforced with players going out in threeballs, and Harrington will be last out alongside Reed and Ian Poulter, who continued his encouraging recent form as he moved within two of the lead after a superb 64, equalling the best round of the tournament.
Harrington had just birdied the 16th on Friday before play was suspended due to darkness, and he resumed on the third morning with birdies at 17 and the first hole before getting into bother at the long third and running up a bogey-six.
But the three-time major champion, who has slumped to 297th in the world rankings, responded with three consecutive birdies, although he undid much of his excellent work with a bogey-bogey finish at eight and nine.
Distracted
"Obviously I want to be at the top of the leaderboard and I want to be trying to win tournaments. Five tournaments ago, I won, so it's not like it's an alien feeling for me," said Harrington, who hasn't led a PGA Tour event after 36 holes for five years.
"I think I'm in a good place that I can deliver more performances like this. So I'm not panicked about going out and it all having to happen this weekend.
"At times I get lost and distracted from the process. Ultimately that's what has changed. I had it going out there for a while. I was struggling with it the last couple of holes.
"But it's nice to be in contention. I'm very positive about my game coming in here this week. I don't know what's going to happen the next 36 holes, but I have a good idea where I'm going. I'm pretty confident.
"I know it's going to be a long weekend, and a tough weekend. I have two options. I can play well on the weekend or I can dig deep and hang in there."
Reed reeled off five birdies in a second-straight 67, while Poulter vaulted into a share of third place with Brendan Steele after a sparkling round featuring an eagle, five birdies and just one dropped shot at the 15th.
"It was always going to be tricky," Poulter said of the blustery conditions. "The round started to pick up. I putted nicely. I played a pretty steady round.
"If I play half as good as I've obviously played today, then I'm going to have a chance come Sunday."
Luke Donald is three off the lead after a solid 67, while Scotland's Russell Knox is well-placed on three under after a 68 and Phil Mickelson comfortably made his first halfway cut of the year at the third attempt after completing a 67 in atrocious conditions to move to two under.
After the cut was confirmed at four over, Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell will have the weekend off along with world No 1 Rory McIlroy, while star South African trio Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Retief Goosen also crashed out.
Live coverage of the Honda Classic resumes on Sunday at 6pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.
