Rory Sabbatini grabbed the top spot in a last-minute sprint for the Masters, firing his second straight 7-under-par 65 today to hold a four-shot lead as the second round of the BellSouth Classic was suspended because of darkness.

Six players failed to complete their rounds and will finish Saturday morning.

Sabbatini, a native of South Africa who turned 23 today, is a rookie on the PGA Tour who missed the cut in three of his first six tournaments. His highest finish is a tie for 52nd in the Buick Invitational.

"It's a great way to celebrate a birthday," he said. "I played well and it was my birthday right in there with it. It was a lot of fun out there."

Beginning the day two shots behind first-round leader Duffy Waldorf, Sabbatini started on the back nine and began to pull away with an eagle at No. 4, a 541-yard, par-5 hole. From 245 yards away, he hit a 2-iron to within three feet of the cup and made the putt.

"If I win, I win," said Sabbatini, who added five birdies to his bogey-free round for a two-day, 14-under total of 130. "There's 36 holes to go."

Mike Weir also shot a 65 and was alone in second with a 134. Three golfers were tied for third at 135, including the world's top player, David Duval, who suffered a couple of bogeys on his final nine holes but still managed a 3-under 69.

"I didn't play quite as well as I did yesterday," said Duval, who missed the green with a chip at No. 1 and hit his tee shot into woods at No. 9, taking a one-shot penalty.

Still, Duval is the most imposing player on the TPC Sugarloaf course north of Atlanta. He already has won three tournaments this year -- including The Players Championship last weekend -- and more than $2.1 million in the first three months of the year.

"You don't bet against streaks," Duval said. "I'd love to win this week heading into the Masters."

So would Sabbatini and every other golfer who has yet to earn a trip to Augusta National next week. A victory in the BellSouth Classic is the final chance to qualify for the year's first major championship.

"The people who go to the Masters have earned their way to the Masters," said Sabbatini, who played collegiately at Arizona. "I haven't earned my way there yet. I have a long way to go."

Waldorf, who also needs to win this weekend to qualify for Augusta, tied the course record on Thursday with a 63 for a one-shot lead over Grant Waite.

Waldorf slumped to a 73 in the second round and Waite managed only an even-par 72, leaving them among a group of seven golfers who are six shots off the pace.

The Greg Norman-designed course, soaked by rain early in the week, began to toughen as a sunny, 80-degree day dried things. The greens, in particular, began to take on more of an Augusta feel.

"The greens were a lot more difficult to make putts on," Duval said. "So, I feel good."

Divots: Jesper Parnevik was contending for the lead at 10-under when he went to his final hole of the day, No. 9. After putting his third shot onto a steep embankment behind the green, he needed three more shots to reach the putting surface and two-putted for a quadruple-bogey 8. ... Chip Beck hit an errant shot into the gallery at 18. Carolyn Steele of Atlanta was struck in the head and, bleeding heavily, she had to be treated at the first-aid tent. Beck walked up to Steele and apologised before she was taken away on a cart. ... Charles Raulerson had a hole-in-one at 16. He holed an 8-iron shot from 176 yards. There were five eagles today after only one during the opening round. ... A sampling of prominent international players, lured to the BellSouth by its pre-Masters scheduling: Ian Woosnam (5-under 139), Colin Montgomerie (140), Nick Faldo (142), Jose Maria Olazabal (146).