HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.-Shane Lowry continued his strong play at the rain-delayed RBC Heritage, moving to 9-under par with two holes left when the second round was suspended Friday because of darkness.
Lowry, who opened at Harbour Town Golf Links with a 6-under 65 after a 78-73 flameout at the Masters last week, knew conditions were worsening and jumped all over the course as quick as he could with birdies on the first and second holes before storms swept the island resort area.
After waiting out a delay of 3 hours, 43 minutes, Lowry played consistently enough to keep in front.
Trey Mullinax was a stroke behind after a 68. Top-ranked Dustin Johnson and Emiliano Grillo were 7 under after 67s.
Lowry was among 56 players who'll return Saturday morning to complete the second round before starting the third.
Mullinax, a shot behind when the round began, tied Lowry with a birdie on the 13th. But the Irishman countered moments later with a two-putt birdie on the 15th to take the lead.
Lowry opened with a 65 to take the first-round lead Thursday. The Irishman birdied his first two holes to get to 8 under before play was halted due to a strong storm system that had caused problems throughout the Southeast this week.
"This is one of those days when you look forward to getting back on the couch and watching the guys (in the afternoon) deal with it," said past RBC Heritage champion Matt Kuchar, a morning starter who finished before the delay.
Mullinax wouldn't have minded that, either. But instead he played into the fading light as the wind picked up over his final holes. He said he backed off twice on his five-footer on the 18th to finish with a par.
"It was probably blowing about 30 on that putt on that green so I had to back off," Mullinax said.
Johnson, second at the Masters last week, had his fifth round in the 60s in his past six here. He stood over a birdie putt on his final hole, the ninth, when officials blew the horn and Johnson buckled his knees thinking he might have to mark his ball right there. But players had the option to finish out and secured a par.
Johnson, a South Carolina native, had not played at Harbour Town in 10 years before returning last spring. He's found the narrow fairways and smallish greens more and more to his liking. His formula for the weekend?
"Just keep doing exactly what I've been doing," he said. "I'm swinging well, placing the ball where I want to. Hopefully, I can roll in a few putts over the weekend."
Grillo, of Argentina, might not have to worry much about putting with a few more shots like he had on the 534-yard fifth hole.
He knocked his drive 282 yards in perfect position, then landed a hybrid club into the cup from 254 yards away for only the second albatross at Harbour Town since 1983 and first since 2007.
"It was a perfect shot," Grillo said. "Perfect distance. Perfect everything. Perfect wind."
Grillo closed his round perfectly, too, with a hole-out from 37 yards away on the tricky ninth hole.
C.T. Pan had the best round of the day at 65 and was tied with Rory Sabbatini at 6 under. Sabbatini shot a 69.
Ian Poulter led a group of 11 players who were four behind Lowry at 5 under. Poulter was among the lucky early finishers with a 67, carding six birdies during an 11-hole stretch.
Poulter held a one-shot lead after 54 holes at this tournament a year ago before ballooning to a 75 on Sunday to fall from contention.
PGA-RBC Heritage Scores
Friday
At Harbour Town Golf Links
Hilton Head, S.C.
Purse: $6.9 million
Yardage: 7,099; Par 71
Partial Second Round
Trey Mullinax 66-68-134
Emiliano Grillo 68-67-135
Dustin Johnson 68-67-135
Rory Sabbatini 67-69-136
C.T. Pan 71-65-136
Sam Burns 67-70-137
Charley Hoffman 68-69-137
Scott Piercy 67-70-137
Ian Poulter 70-67-137
Billy Horschel 67-70-137
Rafa Cabrera Bello 68-69-137
Ryan Palmer 66-71-137
Jason Kokrak 69-68-137
Denny McCarthy 70-68-138
Matt Kuchar 69-69-138
Brian Stuard 68-70-138
Zach Johnson 69-69-138
Brandon Harkins 71-67-138
Joel Dahmen 70-68-138
Chez Reavie 68-71-139
Peter Malnati 67-72-139
Kevin Na 67-72-139
Kevin Kisner 71-68-139
Patrick Cantlay 67-72-139
J.J. Spaun 70-69-139
Michael Thompson 68-71-139
Brian Gay 71-68-139
Boo Weekley 69-70-139
Seamus Power 68-72-140
Andrew Landry 69-71-140
Eddie Pepperell 71-69-140
Harris English 72-69-141
Alex Noren 67-74-141
Danny Lee 72-69-141
Patton Kizzire 72-69-141
Satoshi Kodaira 73-68-141
Xander Schauffele 71-70-141
Jonathan Byrd 68-73-141
Bud Cauley 69-72-141
Matthew Fitzpatrick 71-71-142
Nick Taylor 72-70-142
Scott Langley 68-74-142
J.T. Poston 71-71-142
Chesson Hadley 71-72-143
Russell Henley 73-70-143
Bryson DeChambeau 70-73-143
Colt Knost 72-71-143
Adam Schenk 71-73-144
Jonas Blixt 69-75-144
Martin Kaymer 72-72-144
Chris Stroud 71-73-144
Danny Willett 74-70-144
Keith Mitchell 73-72-145
Russell Knox 71-74-145
Vaughn Taylor 69-76-145
Sam Saunders 73-72-145
Chris Kirk 71-74-145
Justin Harding 74-72-146
Brian Harman 71-75-146
Cameron Smith 72-74-146
Ryan Blaum 71-75-146
Abraham Ancer 73-73-146
Lucas Glover 76-70-146
Anirban Lahiri 72-74-146
Cameron Champ 74-73-147
Si Woo Kim 73-74-147
Scott Brown 77-70-147
Tyler Duncan 73-75-148
D.J. Trahan 71-77-148
Matt Wallace 75-74-149
D.A. Points 73-76-149
Nick Watney 74-75-149
Beau Hossler 76-73-149
Alex Cejka 76-74-150
Leaderboard at time of suspended play
Golfer Scores Thru
Shane Lowry -9 16
Trey Mullinax -8 F
Emiliano Grillo -7 F
Dustin Johnson -7 F
Rory Sabbatini -6 F
C.T. Pan -6 F
Sam Burns -5 F
Charley Hoffman -5 F
Scott Piercy -5 F
Ian Poulter -5 F
Billy Horschel -5 F
Rafa Cabrera Bello -5 F
Ryan Palmer -5 F
Jason Kokrak -5 F
K.J. Choi -5 14
Graeme McDowell -5 13
Troy Merritt -5 12