South Africans Retief Goosen and Ernie Els brilliantly sploshed their way through the puddles and onto the heels of overnight leader Vijay Singh at the Masters today.
Three birdies in the last five holes from Goosen and an eagle and three birdies from Els made light of dreadful conditions underfoot for players and spectators alike at Augusta National.
The two World Cup-winning partners were among 38 players back at the course to complete second rounds held up by a violent storm yesterday afternoon.
More rain meant a further 75-minute delay, but when play did resume the pair both achieved five under par 67s, Goosen to go to eight under par and Els to seven under.
Singh had led by four when he finished his sparkling 65 almost 20 hours earlier, but his advantage over US Open champion Goosen was down to one.
Tiger Woods and Jose Maria Olazabal were able to improve their hopes of a third title alive - and another 67 from a delighted Nick Faldo meant he was not completely out of the running for a fourth crown at the age of 44.
Defending champion Woods, fighting a lone battle with the overseas contingent on the leaderboard, birdied the 13th and 15th, the two par fives on the back nine, to add a 69 to his opening 70. Olazabal birdied the 12th and 15th to match those scores.
The longest applause, though, was for the man whose rounds were 89 and 85. Arnold Palmer signed off from the Masters not with the play he wanted to, but certainly the reception that was appropriate.
Colin Montgomerie, three over at the resumption with seven to play, birdied the 14th and 15th to make sure he qualified for the final two rounds, but bogeyed the last for a 71 and two over aggregate.
Biggest surprise was that David Duval, runner-up to Woods last year and reigning Open champion, missed the cut by one along with Belfast's British amateur champion Michael Hoey.
PA