As Mark Twain once observed, "Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work."

Yesterday, on yet another day of weather delays at the US Masters - an all too familiar occurrence on the US Tour this season, this being the ninth tournament in 15 to be affected - the threat of lightning in the electricity charged air around Augusta National caused golfers to spend more time in the locker-room than out on the course.

So, just as it was the previous day, the world's best players were left with unfinished business. At least, and it was some consolation, the first round was completed in its entirety before the latest weather front closed in. American Chris DiMarco - just as he did in 2001 - assumed the 18-holes lead after an opening round of five-under-par 65, the best of only 13 players who managed to break par.

Indeed, despite the underground suction system, the impact of the previous day's heavy rain left the course playing extremely long. Jack Nicklaus, who knows this course better than most, was to remark, "I can assure you I've never had shots that long into par fours in my life . . . the course is about a par 77 for me." Which is exactly what he shot, in what could yet prove to be his last Masters.

The stop-start nature of things, however, has prevented any show of syrupy sentimentality. Rather, a curious mix of frustration and patience has been evident and, if DiMarco needed any sign his lead is, indeed, a fallible one, it came from the performances of two first-timers. One, Luke Donald, was always considered a likely contender; the other, David Howell, was more of an outsider (rated a 250 to 1 chance before the tournament).

Howell, though, birdied five of the eight holes he played of his second round before the siren sounded to halt play initially for one hour, then two and then three before a decision was eventually taken to suspend play for the day. With a reasonable forecast for the weekend, the plan is to resume the second round today and get as much play as possible in the third round before completing the tournament tomorrow.

That is the plan, at any rate.

In those eight holes of his second round, Howell, who had opened with a level-par 72, could do virtually no wrong. He birdied the 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes in a run that brought him level at five-under with DiMarco - who only managed one hole of his second round - and Donald, who managed two (birdieing the second to move into a share of the lead).

The trio held a one-stroke lead over world number one Vijay Singh, who hadn't started his second round, with Australian duo Mark Hensby and Stuart Appleby a shot further back on three-under.

Of the so-called "Big Five", Singh was best positioned to launch a weekend move, while defending champion Phil Mickelson posted an opening round 70. Of the others, Tiger Woods was two-over par after one hole of his second round and Ernie Els had yet to start after recording a first round 75.

Naturally enough, Howell - a member of Europe's winning team at the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills last year - was "delighted" with his day's work, adding: "Even if it was only eight holes . . . you don't know what is around the corner in golf, it ebbs and flows. So maybe it's that I had a good two and a half hours out on the course and that the timing of the break was good for me."

After the siren initially stopped play, Howell had lunch in the clubhouse with his girlfriend and then retreated to the locker-room for "a little sleep. I was actually sleeping close by Padraig Harrington. He was snoring away when I woke up," quipped Howell, who first showed his promise when winning the British Boys championship as an 18-year-old.

Now aged 29, the Englishman is a consistent player without winning as many tournaments as perhaps he should. His only tournament win came in the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic - but he had 10 top-10 finishes last year, including a third in the American Express championship, the Desert Classic and the Scottish Open, on the way to securing his Ryder Cup place.

"My career's gone far better than I ever thought it would," confessed Howell. "I certainly wasn't one of those who thought of beating Jack Nicklaus's (majors) record when I was seven. But, as I've progressed in my career, I have reassessed my goals. One was to make the Ryder Cup team, and another was to play in the Masters."

Traditionally, first-timers at the Masters have struggled. The last player to win on his debut was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. "I know I handle pressure well. I did at the Ryder Cup," said Howell, who believed playing the course without realising where all the trouble is could actually be a help. "We're pretty quick learners in this game and generally know what's going on. I know the greens here are just so quick and that you need experience and that a lot of first-timers don't do too well. But it is a kind of a double edged sword. If you don't know where you're going, you are able to fire at the pins."

Howell was on fire for the eight holes he did play of his second round. On the 10th, he hit a six-iron approach in to 10 feet. On the 11th, the six-iron was again hauled out of the bag and he hit his approach to 25 feet. On the 13th, he hit a three-iron approach to 35 feet and two-putted for another birdie. His run was kept going when he pitched in for a par save on the 14th, before reaching the 15th green in two - with a five-iron approach - and then two-putting for birdie from 65 feet. On the 16th, Howell hit a seven-iron to six feet.

"I know it's going to be a long day . . I'll just finish out, make the cut etc, and enjoy the whole experience."