Ernie Els turned a long day into a cakewalk, posting a tournament-record score for 36 holes to seize the early second-round lead Friday in the weather-plagued International in Castle Rock, Colo.
Play was suspended by lightning Friday with 52 players still on the course. They were to complete their second rounds early Saturday, after which the third round was to begin.
Els, forced to finish his first round early Friday because of delays Thursday, gained a share of the first-round lead with 15 points under the modified Stableford scoring system used in this event.
He added 19 points in a nearly flawless second round for a total of 34, breaking the 36-hole record of 29 set by David Toms last year.
The scoring system awards a player with 5 points for an eagle, 2 points for a birdie, zero for a par, minus-1 for a bogey and minus-3 for a double bogey or worse.
Els, five times a runnerup this season, held an 8-point lead over Greg Norman, who is playing in his first tournament since having hip surgery five weeks ago. Norman added 14 points to the 12 he totaled in the first round.
Andrew Magee had 23 points, Jay Delsing 22 and Spain’s Sergio Garcia 21.
Two-time International champion Phil Mickelson and Notah Begay III both had 18 points.
Els played a total of 25 holes Friday and had 10 birdies and an eagle that were worth 25 points.
Els, who had three birdies in the seven holes he played to finish his first round, had seven birdies and an eagle in his second round.
The eagle came on the par-4, 485-yard 10th hole that consistently ranks as the most difficult on the course. Els split the fairway with a 333-yard drive, then holed out a wedge from 152 yards.
Tiger Woods, citing the need to rest before the PGA championship, is skipping this event. David Duval, the world’s third-ranked player, withdrew on Thursday after playing six holes because of a lingering back injury.
Among those likely to miss the cut were defending champion David Toms (6 points) and Nick Faldo (3). There also will be a cut after Saturday’s third round to the low 36 players and ties. Unlike the early years of this tournament, all scores are cumulative for the four rounds.
Michelob Light Classic: Pat Hurst, Kristi Albers and Rachel Hetherington shot 5-under par 67s to share the first-round lead in Eureka, Mo.
Annika Sorenstam, who won the event the last three years and four of the six since it began, shot an even-par 72.
Her apparent home-field advantage is misleading because the tourney moved this year to Fox Run Golf Club, a par-72, 6,452-yard course that is much longer than the previous site at Forest Hills Country Club.
Not surprisingly, long hitters were faring well. Hurst ranks eighth in driving distance.
Sally Dee, the tour’s third-longest hitter, was a stroke back at 4-under. Also at 4-under were Rosie Jones and Lorie Kane. Jones was at 6-under before a double-bogey on the final hole.
Albers has won just once in her 14-year career. She three-putted on just one hole and needed only one putt on 10 holes.
Hetherington, a fourth-year player from Australia, has been inconsistent this year. She’s finished in the top 10 three times and earned $218,560 (29th on the tour), but missed the cut five times.
Illinois Open: Guy Sciortino of Melrose Park and Tom Studer of Joliet were tied for the lead Friday at 135 after two rounds at the Royal Fox Golf Club in St. Charles. Sciortino shot a 67 Friday, while Studer had a 68.
