A second round that promised so much for Darren Clarke after three holes fizzled out in Akron tonight - as it did for playing partner Tiger Woods.
>Two strokes clear of the field in the six-million-dollar NEC World Championship after a 15-foot eagle putt at the long second and then nine-foot birdie on the next, the Tyroneman had to settle in the end for a level-par 70.
Clarke will go into the third round sharing fifth place on five under par, two behind new joint leaders David Toms and Chris Riley.
They both added 67s to their opening efforts of 66. Woods, world number one and winner on his last three visits to the Firestone course, could do no better than a 72, taking six at the monster 667-yard 16th and double-bogeying the 464-yard last.
He will resume four behind in a tie for 10th spot.
Their troubles were nothing compared to those of first day leaders Ben Curtis and Sergio Garcia, however. Open champion Curtis will at least be able to get married roughly on time tomorrow - it is set for 5pm a 30-minute drive away - after dropping shots, appropriately perhaps, like confetti.
Garcia, who had hoped his opening 64 had ignited a disappointing season, was also in the water at the third and also fell back from six under to level par.
Toms and Riley lead by a stroke from Fiji's Vijay Singh and 47-year-old American Fred Funk, who earlier in the day - before a wind kicked up - had produced a dazzling 62, one outside the course record.
Lee Westwood's second successive 70 kept him level par, while one further back are Nick Faldo (67), Ian Poulter (68) and Paul McGinley (71). Welshman Phil Price finished with five successive bogeys for a 75 and three over aggregate, one better than Padraig Harrington (71) and two in front of Phil Golding (69) and Justin Rose (73).