Saturday 27 April 2019 15:05, UK
Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell demonstrated some impressive foursomes prowess to get within two shots of the lead on day two of the weather-hit Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
The former Ryder Cup team-mates combined for a second-round 67 in the alternate-shot format to close on 12 under par, just two shots behind leaders Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III, before play was suspended due to darkness.
Half the field have yet to complete their second rounds due to the storms that disrupted the opening day's play in Avondale, with six of the pairings managing to get only two holes in the books before the fading light forced officials to call a halt shortly after 7.30pm local time (1:30am BST).
Malnati and Hurley lead the way on 14 under after they finished off an opening nine-under 63 early on Friday before returning to combine for five birdies while keeping blemishes off their card in a second-round 67, the highlight being a superb 31-foot birdie putt dropped by Malnati on the sixth - their 15th.
Scotland's Russell Knox and his American partner, Brian Stuard, are also safely in the clubhouse after adding a solid three-birdie 69 to their opening 62 as they climbed into joint-second place with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax, who still have half of their second round to complete.
First-round leaders Brian Gay and Rory Sabbatini are also on 13 under through four holes of their foursomes round along with Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown, while Stenson and McDowell are a further stroke behind.
The pair started at the 10th and Stenson nailed two good putts for birdie at the 11th and 16th, although the Swede then made an uncharacteristic mistake at the long 18th when he blocked his lay-up too far right and into the water hazard, leading to a disappointing bogey-six.
But the 2016 Open champion and 2010 US Open winner responded well on the front nine, with McDowell holing for birdies at two and three before adding another from 20 feet at the seventh and then setting up a chance for Stenson after a fine approach to four feet at the eighth.
Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer began their second round with three consecutive birdies and remained on 11 under after six holes when play was suspended, while some high-profile teams need to be cautious when play resumes on Saturday morning to avoid an early exit.
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Ian Poulter and his protege, Sam Horsfield, are currently one off the projected halfway cut mark on seven under after eight holes of their second round, while Poulter's fellow Ryder Cup 2018 stars, Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia, are on the same score through six holes.
The Australian pairing of Jason Day and Adam Scott also need to make ground over the final 11 holes of their foursomes round, but Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry have already packed their bags after an error-strewn 75 left them at four under par.
South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel are also heading home after a remarkable second-round collapse, which started on their opening hole when both drove out-of-bounds at the 10th, leading to an ugly quintuple-bogey nine which set the tone for a six-over 78.
