NEC InvitationalDefending champion Darren Clarke admitted to being "stunningly average" after dropping two shots in the last two holes to post a halfway total of one over par 141 as heavy rain again caused play to be suspended for the day in the NEC world championship at Akron, Ohio yesterday.
However, the Irishman is in good company as some of the best golfers in the world struggled in the inclement conditions.
Vijay Singh and Ernie Els, both of whom could end Tiger Woods' five-year reign as world number one this weekend, were paired together for the second round. But before play was halted for the second day running they slumped to five over and eight par respectively.
With the field down to 75 players after the withdrawal of Swede Joakim Haeggman - he began with an 80 and aborted his last but one chance to get into the Ryder Cup team - US PGA champion Singh was down in joint 64th place and Els in a tie for 71st.
Alongside the South African, who had to finish in the top three to have a chance of unseating Woods, was Masters champion Phil Mickelson, whose 75 was one of only 24 completed second rounds, while world number eight Padraig Harrington was on the same mark as Els with seven holes still to go.
Woods was going much better at three under, good enough for a share of seventh spot after 12 holes.
Leading European was Sergio Garcia, alongside Woods after 13 holes, while Lee Westwood was one further back. Colin Montgomerie, needing a top nine finish at worst to keep alive the possibility that he will not need one of Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer's two wild cards, was joint 22nd on one under after an incident-packed round.
Dubliner Paul McGinley, in the 10th and last automatic spot in the cup race with only one more week to go, stood only three over after 14, but the failure of Fredrik Jacobson to make a big move and Haeggman's withdrawal boosted his hopes of winning a second cap.
Having missed the cut in the US PGA championship Haeggman, 12th in the standings, said: "I've had a tough two weeks and I think I need to clear my head and regroup."
The clubhouse leader was David Toms who shot a 66 for 135 while on the course Stewart Cink had moved to eight under par overall after 10 holes.
(Completed rounds - US Unless stated)
135 (5 under)
David Toms 69 66
137 (3 under)
Mike Weir (Can) 70 67, SK Ho (Kor) 70 67
138 (2 under)
Charles Howell 71 67, Robert Allenby (Aus) 71 67, Adam Scott (Aus) 71 67
139 (1 under)
Jay Haas 70 69, Stephen Ames (Tri) 69 70
140 (level)
John Daly 71 69, Joey Sindelar 70 70
141 (1 over)
Darren Clarke (N Irl) 71 70, Mark Hensby (Aus) 71 70, Tim Clark (Rsa) 71 70, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 70, Peter Lonard (Aus) 71 70, Luke Donald (Bri) 71 70
142 (2 over)
Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 71
143 (3 over)
Shaun Micheel 71 72, Mark O'Meara 71 72
144 (4 over)
KJ Choi (Kor) 71 73, Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 73, Brad Faxon 72 72
145 (5 over)
Phil Mickelson 70 75
146 (6 over)
Jonathan Kaye 71 75
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Greater Hickory Classic (at Rock Barn)
66 - Mark Lye
67 - Bobby Wadkins
68 - Jay Overton
69 - Jim Thorpe , Allen Doyle, Doug Tewell
70 - Jack Spradlin, Doug Johnson, Jay Sigel, Bruce Fleisher
71 - Mike Hill, Gibby Gilbert, John Mahaffey, Des Smyth (Irl), Dave Barr, Hubert Green, Ed Fiori, Craig Stadler, Gil Morgan.
72 - Bob Ralston, Larry Ziegler, John Bland, Jim Ahern, Pete Oakley
73 - Edward E Brooks, Tom Wargo, Dave Eichelberger, Dana Quigley, Leonard Thompson.
