Cook protects his lead in the rain

John Cook picked up three strokes on seven holes between the rain to hold a two-stroke lead when play was halted yesterday in the season-opening Mercedes Championships at La Costa, Carlsbad, California.

Heavy rain had pushed back the start of the second round by more than two hours, and play was finally suspended for the day when more rain and darkness fell.

Four twosomes will resume their second rounds today before beginning their third round.

Most of the leaders did not tee off until after the rain delay. Cook, who fired an opening-round 65 on Thursday, had three birdies to move to 10-under through 25 holes, two strokes in front of Phil Mickelson.

Cook won last year's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic to qualify for this event and finished 28th on the 1997 money list. Mickelson won two events and $1,225,390 last year.

Mickelson, who shot a 68 on Thursday, briefly shared the lead with Cook at eight-under through four holes, but remained there for the next four holes. He was one stroke ahead of Nick Price of Zimbabwe and Frank Nobilo of New Zealand. Nobilo had played eight holes, one more than Price, on Friday.

Defending champion Tiger Woods was among four golfers still on the course at six-under. Woods bounced back from a first-round 72, picking up six strokes through his his first 14 holes of the second round.

It's the second consecutive year that rain has affected the event, which officially launches the US PGA Tour season.

Last year, Woods won the rainshortened tournament in a playoff over Tom Lehman to kick off a year that saw him win four events - including the Masters - and a Tour-record $2,066,833.

Others at six-under included Stewart Cink (through 12), and David Duval and Ernie Els of South Africa (both through eight).

Duval is trying to become the first golfer to win four consecutive PGA Tour starts since Ben Hogan in 1953. He finished second to Woods on the money list with $1,885,308 thanks to a late-season charge that saw him win the Michelob Championship, the Walt Disney/Oldsmobile Classic and the Tour Championship at the end of last year.

The Mercedes Championships is limited to 1997 tournament winners and 30 of the 31 victors are competing. Bill Glasson, who won the Las Vegas Invitational, is recovering from arm surgery.