British duo head Masters leaderboard; GOLF.

DAVID HOWELL and Luke Donald were today raring to resume their bids for Masters golf glory after their startling progress was held up by more brutal weather at Augusta National.

Howell has so far managed 26 holes and Donald a mere 20, while American Chris DiMarco, the other player sharing the lead on five-under, had time only for one hole of his second round before the stoppage.

As for the 'Big Four', world number one Vijay Singh lurks menacingly one shot off the lead and defending champion Phil Mickelson is just three back.

However Tiger Woods' opening 74 left him seven shots adrift and last year's runner-up Ernie Els is eight off the pace.

This time last year Justin Rose led after 36 holes and Alex Cejka and Jose Maria Olazabal were joint second. None of them ended up in the top 25, so Howell and Donald need no reminding that there is an awful long way to go.

Fuzzy Zoeller is the only debutant to have won the Masters since Gene Sarazen in 1935, but while Howell entered the week happy if he played all four rounds Donald had high hopes.

The High Wycombe golfer came joint second two weeks ago in the Players Championship, golf's unofficial fifth major, and he already has a US tour victory and two other runners-up finishes to his name.

Howell, in contrast, has a best placing of 36th on American soil.

Donald's opening 68 left him joint second and an eight-foot putt on the long second hole of his second round made it a three-way tie overnight.

Ian Poulter and Darren Clarke stand level par and joint 14th early in their second rounds, but Padraig Harrington dropped to two-over, putting him 36th and alongside Woods.

Sandy Lyle stood four-over, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood six-over, Graeme McDowell eight-over and British amateur champion Stuart Wilson 13-over.

No European has won a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999.

Spaniards Sergio Garcia, fourth last year, and two-time winner Jose Maria Olazabal both began with 77s.