Golf

Weather strikes again as play suspended at Genesis Open

Strong winds at Riviera Country Club caused an eucalyptus tree near the 14th tee to split

Play has been suspended due to wind and rain during the second round at the Genesis Open. Photograph: Getty Images

Sat Feb 18 2017 - 12:09

Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas moved into a share of the lead before severe weather forced the second round of the Genesis Open to be suspended.

The wind was so strong at Riviera Country Club that a eucalyptus tree near the 14th tee split and heavy rain also persuaded officials to suspend play for the day at 12.18pm local time in California. The second round will resume at 7am on Saturday (3pm Irish time).

Padraig Harrington - who shot a first round 67 on Thursday to leave him four under par - had yet to start his second round. Shane Lowry meanwhile was four over through 16, leaving him six shots over the projected cut (E).

Graeme McDowell meanwhile shot a second round 70 to leave him three under par overall.

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Vegas, who has two PGA Tour titles to his name, was three under through 14 holes when the horn sounded to join overnight leader Sam Saunders on seven under par. Saunders was among those not to hit a shot on Friday.

Having birdied the first from eight feet, Vegas converted from 15 feet at the fifth and nine feet at the sixth for further gains before taking the outright lead when he holed an 18-footer on the ninth to turn in 31.

However, a wayward drive on the 11th saw him drop his first shot of the day and he was yet to register a back-nine birdie after five holes.

American Jason Kokrak was two under through 10 holes to move into outright third on six under, while Dustin Johnson — who improved his chances of displacing Jason Day as world number one no harm with an opening 66 on Thursday - did not get to tee off before the weather intervened.

Scotland's Martin Laird was one of a handful of players to get round and a three-under 68 left him inside the top 10 on four under.

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