HUMBLE, Texas - PGA Tour rookie Zach Johnson continued a terrific stretch of play with 4-under 68 Friday and was in a three-way tie for the clubhouse lead when the second round of the Shell Houston Open was suspended by darkness.
Johnson, who won this month at the BellSouth Classic, overcame a second day of gusty winds and a nearly two-hour weather delay at the Redstone Golf Club in suburban Houston. With 36 players scheduled to finish their second round early today, Johnson, Steve Stricker and Steve Lowery were at 5-under 139.
Among those to finish today was Neal Lancaster, who was one shot behind the leaders with three holes remaining. John Riegger was 4 under with one to play.
Patrick Sheehan, Paul Azinger and Vijay Singh finished the second round at 4-under 140. Justin Leonard, Mark Calcavecchia and Scott Hoch were among six players another stroke back.
Johnson had played 10 holes and was at 5 under for the tournament when weather halted play with 78 golfers on the course.
When it resumed, he birdied No. 11 with a 57-foot putt. He bogeyed the par-3 13th and made it back with birdie at 16. He bogeyed 17 and finished with par on 18 in near darkness.
"I got off to a good start and had a lot of momentum," he said. "The delay was a little frustrating."
The 28-year-old Johnson was the 2003 player of the year on the Nationwide Tour. He has been particularly good his last few times out, finishing 13th at the Honda Classic six weeks ago, sixth at Bay Hill the next week and winning the BellSouth. He's 15th on the money list with almost $1.16-million.
Lowery finished with a flourish, making three consecutive birdies for his 69. In nine events this year has only one finish in the top 25.
Stricker is trying to rebound from 2003, when he finished in the money only eight times and just once was in the top 25 at a tournament. In 1996 he posted two of his three tour victories and was No. 4 on the money list.
Stricker played early and took advantage of the calm conditions.
"It really picked up probably on our seventh or eighth hole today and maybe even a little gustier than yesterday," said Stricker, who's made the cut only twice in nine previous outings this year.
Singh bounced back from an opening 74 to post a 6-under 66, Friday's best round.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Gil Morgan shot 7-under 65 for a one-stroke lead over Hale Irwin and Dave Barr in the first round of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah, Ga. Craig Stadler, seeking his second win this season, shot 67. Bruce Fleisher, also looking for a second win, was among five at 68. It was the 22nd straight round of par or better for Morgan, who won the SBC Classic in March.
EUROPEAN PGA: David Park shot 5-under 65 in the wind to stretch his lead to four halfway through the Spanish Open in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. He was at 11-under 129 after two rounds, with Christian Cevaer (67) at 133 and Peter Hedblom (66) at 134.
