Singh takes lead at waterlogged Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga., April 12 (UPI) -- Arnold Palmer provided the nostalgia Friday and Vijay Singh delivered the drama during a wet and unfinished second round at the Masters.

Palmer's final competitive round at the Augusta National Golf Club began in heartwarming fashion with the 72-year-old unleashing as good a drive as he could hit down the middle of the fairway. Singh's day on the job ended with him needing just 30 shots to play the back nine en route to a three-shot lead.

The second round, however, could not be completed when a pair of heavy rainstorms struck the course late in the afternoon.

Thirty-eight of the 87 players remaining in the field, including Palmer, were unable to finish the second round. They will return to the course Saturday at 7:45 a.m. to complete the round, after which the 36-hole cut will be made and the third round will get underway.

More rains, however, were in the forecast as tournament officials began to grow concerned about being able to complete the event Sunday.

Rains plagued the tournament all day with a steady shower making life miserable for the early starters and almost rendering the course unplayable.

Singh teed off shortly after those rains stopped and he played the front nine in 1-under 35. He then birdied the par-3 12th to get to 4-under for the tournament and as he walked up the 13th fairway, he shared the tournament lead with Davis Love III, Sergio Garcia, Angel Cabrera, Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and current U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen.

But the 2000 Masters champion then birdied the 13th, rolled in a 25-foot eagle putt at the 15th, made a 12-footer for birdie at the 17th and knocked it to within 10 feet for another birdie at the final hole to shoot a 7-under 65 for a for a 36-hole total of 135.

"My wife asked me what I thought would be a good score today and I said a 68 would be a great round for me," Singh said. "So this is really good. I didn't even realize I shot a 30 on the back nine until I started to add up my score.

"I sure didn't expect to shoot what I did, but I am thrilled about it."

Singh considers himself a poor player in bad conditions, so he enjoyed a big break Friday. He squeezed his round in between the rains while most of the other members of the field had to put up with at least some of the inclement conditions.

When play was halted, Goosen had played 11 holes and was at 6-under --- alone in second place.

Tied for third at 5-under 139 were Harrington, who shot a 70, Garcia (71) and Cabrera (71).

In the large group tied for sixth at 3-under was defending champion Tiger Woods, who had eight holes to play when the action was halted. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn and Mickelson had finished at 3-under 141 while Chris DiMarco and Jose Maria Olazabal were at 3-under on the back nine.

Woods scrambled his way to a 1-under score through 12 holes, having saved par at the second after almost hitting his second shot into the third fairway. His second shot at the third sailed over the green and he again saved par.

Love, who led after the opening round, fell back to 2-under after firing a 75. Els was 2-under with six holes to play while three-time champion Masters champion Nick Faldo was 2-under for the tournament and 5-under for the round through 16. David Duval was 2-over with six to go.

Bjorn set a Masters record by opening his round with four straight birdies. He also had a three-birdie stretch on the back nine en route to a 67 --- the second best round of the day behind that of Singh.

The 36-hole cut was likely going to fall at 3-over 147 with an outside chance of those at 148 surviving. Among those certain to be around for the weekend were former champions Craig Stadler (145), Bernhard Langer (145), Fred Couples (146) and 52-year-old Tom Watson (147).

Justin Leonard (145) and John Daly (147) also made the cut.

Those certain to miss the cut included Mark O'Meara, Lee Janzen, Tom Kite and Players Championship winner Craig Perks.

Two weeks ago in Houston, Singh won in the United States for the first time since he captured the 2000 Masters. That success, plus the play he has demonstrated this week, leaves him full of confidence going into the weekend.

"I feel like I'm playing a lot better now than I did two years ago," Singh said. "I'm hitting the ball a lot better. I think I'm a much better player now than I was two years ago and that should carry me through."

The persistent morning rains drenched the famed course and the early starters had to slog their way through rounds lasting almost six hours. Those showers left the course waterlogged and galleries were left with slippery and, in some cases, muddy slopes on which to walk.

"It was almost on the verge of being unplayable," said Steve Lowery, who had an early tee time. "Just as I thought they were going to call it, the rain stopped. It was playing really long."

Before Singh made his big move on the back side, attention turned to Palmer, who at age 72 announced Thursday that this would be his final Masters as a player. He made his decision public after firing a 17-over 89 in the first round --- a score that equaled his worst ever at the Augusta National.

When Palmer walked from the putting green to the first tee Friday, he was greeted by a prolonged ovation.

After shaking hands with playing partners Robert Hamilton and Toru Taniguchi, Palmer awaited the traditional announcement that is reserved for each player who tees off at the Masters.

"Fore, please," the starter cried out to the crowd without the use of a microphone. "Arnold Palmer now driving."

That brought another round of applause and almost before it died down, Palmer, dressed in brown slacks and a shirt the color of dried mustard, ripped off a solid drive.

Although it was obvious from the moment it left the club that the ball would finish in good shape, Palmer took a long look at it before reaching down to pick up his tee.

Off he went on his final round, with the crowds lining the fairway applauding his every step. About every 20 paces, Palmer would raise his right arm to acknowledge the cheers. He went on to bogey the opening hole, an improvement of one shot from the day before. Palmer played the front nine in 42 strokes with six bogeys and three pars.

He then bogeyed 10, double bogeyed 11 and parred 12 before the rains came again. That left him at 26-over par for 30 holes.