Tom Lehman retains lead despite heavy fog

Tom Lehman fired a second round five-under-par 67 at the Buick Invitational to stretch his overnight lead from one to three shots as fog and darkness curtailed play at the Torrey Pines Country Club on Friday.

With the first two rounds of the $4.5 million tournament staged on different layouts, the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup captain followed up a sizzling opening round 62 on the North course with an equally brilliant effort on the more difficult South course.

Despite leading, Lehman feels he could have shot a lower score.

"It was good to get a good score without playing my best. Sometimes the best things happen when you're a little bit off," he said.

"It's a battle within yourself, that's the essence of golf, is how well you fight that battle on the inside.

Lehman's round at the venue for the 2008 U.S. Open leaves him with a healthy advantage over Australia's Peter Lonard, who still had one hole to complete when play was halted due to darkness.

World number two Tiger Woods looked set to card the round of day when he reached eight-under on the 17th hole but with the fading light ending his round early, he finished 35 holes on 11-under-par and four strokes off the pace.

Among those who completed their second round, Australia's Scott Hend had the best 18 holes, firing an eight-under-par 64 to leave him among a pack of six at eight-under.

However, Lehman also enjoyed a stellar round and not even a pall of dense fog that rolled in off the Pacific, forcing the suspension of play for nearly three hours, could cause him to lose focus.

Putting in another late surge, the 1996 British Open champion finished with four consecutive birdies after closing with six in his opening round.

"I've made 19 birdies in 36 holes that is without question a personal best for me," Lehman said.

Woods, who is fighting the lingering effects of a flu virus, should sleep well after closing out his round in style, returning from the fog delay to birdie three of four holes.

Ernie Els, who can take over second spot in the world rankings if he can finish ahead of Woods, appeared to be in a fog much of the day struggling to post a one-under-par 71.

However, the burly South African remains in contention at eight-under, seven shots back.

Three time winner Phil Mickelson shot a five-under 67 but the U.S. Masters champion still has plenty of work to do to notch a fourth title, sitting 10 shots off the pace alongside Spain's Sergio Garcia.

World number one Vijay Singh has yet to show the form that carried him to victory at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii and he sits 13 shots back with one hole to play.

Play will resume at 7:30 a.m. with 59 players returning early to complete the second round and the projected cut currently standing at two-under-par.

Lehman is pleased he had just enough time to finish his second round before the darkness descended.

"I was really hoping we weren't going to have to come back in the morning. That would be difficult, to come out and play two holes, have a four hour break then play again," he said.

"It's nice to be able to go about tomorrow's round like a normal round."

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