Hurley, Power share lead at rain-delayed Wells Fargo

WILMINGTON, North Carolina — Once the rain finally stopped, the wind took over Friday in the Wells Fargo Championship. Billy Hurley III and Seamus Power of Ireland did their best to figure out the strong gusts and wound up atop the leaderboard at the end of a long day.

The second round started three hours late because of a violent storm that dumped nearly five centimetres of rain on Eagle Point, and 65 players had to return this morning to complete the round.

Hurley hit a 4-iron from 174 yards that came up 15 yards short, and he managed to get up-and-down to cap off a strong finish for a 3-under 69. Power shot a 71 and joined Hurley at 5-under 139.

John Peterson’s last hole was a birdie on the par-5 12th hole. He was at 5-under and had six holes to play this morning. Francesco Molinari of Italy, who opened with a 66, also was at 5-under and had seven holes remaining.

Dustin Johnson couldn’t get off the golf course fast enough. In his first tournament since a slip down the stairs knocked him out of the Masters, Johnson opened with a tough par save and a birdie to get within two shots of the lead until dropping shots on a pair of par 3s, getting out of position off the tee on the reachable par 5s and ending with a third bogey on No. 13.

Johnson was 2 over for his round, five shots out of the lead.

With the worst of the weather out of the way, one bizarre dynamic was in play depending on how the second round finishes this morning. When play was halted by darkness, 80 players were at 1-over. That could mean only a six-shot separation between leading and making the cut.