Britain's Paul Casey retained his one-stroke lead at eight under par and Tiger Woods made the cut by two shots when the fog-delayed second round of the Frys.com Open was completed on Saturday.
Casey had grabbed control of the PGA Tour's Fall Series event by firing a sizzling seven-under 64 on Friday and he was not caught by any of the late starters who returned to CordeValle Golf Club on a sunny Saturday morning.
Fifty-three players were still on the course when play was halted in fading light on Friday. Of those, South African Ernie Els was closest to the lead at seven under with two holes remaining.
However, the three-times major champion finished par-par to complete a six-under 66 and remain tied for second with young American professional Bud Cauley, who had carded a matching 66 the previous day.
Americans Troy Matteson (68), Garrett Willis (69) and Briny Baird (69), plus Australian Nathan Green (64), were a further stroke back at six-under 136.
"When you shoot six under (66), you're playing all right," Els told reporters before eating a swift breakfast and preparing for the third round.
"I'm looking forward to the next couple of days. It'll be a good test over the weekend but I'm feeling good."
Woods, who had opened with an erratic 73 in his first tournament appearance in almost two months, carded a 68 on Friday to lie seven strokes off the pace.
PUTTING STRUGGLES
Having struggled on the greens in mainly wet and cold conditions on Thursday, the former world number one mixed six birdies with three bogeys for a one-under total.
"I don't like missing cuts, period," 14-times major champion Woods said after making his first 36-hole cut on the PGA Tour since the Masters in April.
"I've got a shot at it this weekend. I'm still within seven shots of it right now."
World number 20 Casey, like Woods, has struggled with injury this season, and he was delighted to surge to the top of the leaderboard after only recently resolving a lingering toe problem.
"It's probably the best I've hit the golf ball all year," the Englishman said after deciding to return to the PGA Tour for the next two weeks to complete the minimum 15 events required to maintain his card for next season.
The cut fell at one-over 143 with former major winners David Duval, Todd Hamilton, Shaun Micheel and Ben Curtis among those failing to advance.
In a bid to make up for lost time, organisers sent players out in threesomes off the first and 10th tees for Saturday's third round.
