Rose in contention in California
06 Feb 2010 - 03:51:15
Justin Rose put himself into contention in the Northern Trust Open as play was suspended for the day at Riviera Country Club with darkness preventing the completion of the second round.
England's Ryder Cup star posted a four-under-par 67 on a rainy day near Los Angeles to get to six under, four shots off the lead held by Steve Stricker and the still-to-finish Dustin Johnson.
A hole in one from Johnson had helped the first-round leader regain the initiative from Stricker, who had posted an early 65 to get to 10 under and take the clubhouse lead.
World number three Stricker had moved to the top of the leaderboard with a seven-birdie, one-bogey 65. Johnson, though, soon made inroads with birdies at the par-five first and the par-three fourth and moved into the outright lead when he aced the 199-yard, par-three sixth.
But he fell back to 10 under with a bogey at the 15th in fading light, managing to finish just one more hole before the suspension came.
Romero was seven under after 15 holes when play was halted, followed in a tie for fourth by Rose, Stadler, who shot a level-par 71 to finish at six under, and Tim Wilkinson, who had also carded a 67.
Rose's compatriot and Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald was one under after 14 holes, in a group at four under that also included American Brandt Snedeker (72), South Africa's Ernie Els (70) and defending champion Phil Mickelson - who got his bid for a third Northern Trust Open title in a row back on track with a 66 following his opening 72.
With the halfway cut mark hovering around the one-over-par mark but conditions and scores worsening as the afternoon wore on, some of the later starters were having to be mindful of making the weekend's play.
Padraig Harrington was one of those as he bid to shake off some rust in his first tournament of the year. The three-time major winner had opened with a 72 and started his second round well with two birdies in his first three holes, only to card four bogeys between the fourth and 15th.
A birdie at the 16th got Harrington heading back in the right direction only for play to be brought to a close with the Irishman on two over par with two to play. Martin Laird of Scotland was three over after 15 holes, two over for the day.
