Trio lead in Houston

Zach Johnson, winner of his first PGA Tour title earlier this month, shot a four-under-par 68 to share the lead with Steve Stricker and Steve Lowery in a rain-affected second round of the Houston Open on Friday.

Tour rookie Johnson, who took the BellSouth Classic at the TPC at Sugarloaf, joined his fellow Americans on five-under 139.

World number two Vijay Singh carded the best round of the day, a six-under 66, to vault into a tie for fourth just one stroke off the lead. Paul Azinger and Patrick Sheehan joined Singh on 140.

Thunderstorms halted play at the Redstone Golf Club late on Friday afternoon. Play did resume but 36 players remained on the course when darkness fell.

Former British Open champion Justin Leonard heads a group of six players tied for ninth on 141. Also on that mark are Dudley Hart, Chris Riley, Mark Calcavecchia, Scott Hoch and David Peoples.

Stricker last won on the PGA Tour in 2001 when he defeated Sweden's Pierre Fulke in the World Match Play Championship in Australia.

Since then he has had only five top-10 finishes and none since a tie for sixth in the 2002 Byron Nelson Classic.

"It's been a struggle for me the last couple of years, and I'm lacking in confidence, which is starting to come back a little bit," Stricker said.

"I'm starting to shoot some better rounds, but I feel like I need to take baby steps.

"I'm just not driving it or feeling good about driving it yet or any part of my game."

First-round leader Rod Pampling of Australia suffered in the windy afternoon conditions, carding a seven-over 79 to drop down to a tie for 48th place.

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