Storms Halt Play in Second Round of AT&T National; Spieth & Castro Lead


Another PGA Tour has experienced problems with weather. The most recent event came in the second round of the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.

A band of storms came through the Washington D.C. area at 2:44 p.m. ET Friday. Play was set to resume three hours later, but the horn sounded and forced the players to leave the driving range and officials to discontinue the round until Saturday morning.

Those who didn't complete their second rounds will return to Congressional at 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning to do so. The 36-hole cut will be made prior to the start of the third round.

Sitting atop the leaderboard in the $6.5 million invitational are Roberto Castro and Jordan Spieth. The two Texans have each shot rounds of 66 and 69 to reach 7-under 135 on the par-71 course.

Castro, a 28-year-old from Houston, carded his 66 on Thursday to take the first-round lead, while the 19-year-old Spieth, a heralded former amateur from Dallas, carded his 66 Friday.

If Spieth, who turns 19 years, 11 months and three days old on Sunday, pulls off the win he'll become the fourth-youngest champion in PGA Tour history. The youngest winners on the all-time list are Harry Cooper (1923 Galveston Open), Ralph Guldahl (1931 Santa Monica Open), and Johnny McDermott (1911 U.S. Open).

Spieth was 18 for 18 in hitting greens in regulation on Friday and is in good position entering the weekend. "Obviously, feeling the nerves when you're atop the leaderboard, but was able to channel them nicely and they didn't affect my ball-striking," Spieth said in a TV interview.

The two-time U.S. Junior Amateur champion has Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour and is eligible for unlimited sponsors' exemptions throughout the year; Spieth has been very impressive so far after becoming a touring pro. In 13 starts, he's finished in the top-10 four times, including a runner-up in Puerto Rico.

In addition to earning $1.17 million, a victory this week would give Spieth 500 FedEx Cup points, an automatic spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs, and a two-year full exemption on the PGA Tour.

Castro is also pleased with his position. "It feels good to play two rounds under par," he told PGATour.com. "It's a very hard golf course."

Sitting at 5-under 137 is South Korea's D.H. Lee (66) and Argentina's Andres Romero, who was 4-under through 13 holes before play was suspended.

Tied for fifth at 4-under 138 are Cameron Tringale (with rounds of 71 and 67) and James Driscoll (two straight 69s). Gary Woodland (69 on Friday), Stewart Cink (69), Russell Henley (70) and Sweden's David Lingmerth (65) share seventh at 139. Also at 3-under are Ben Kohles (1-under through 12 holes), Bill Haas (2-under through eight) and Nick Watney (2-under through eight).

Last week's winner in the Travelers Championship, Ken Duke, opened with a 71 and is 1-under through eight holes.

Defending champion Tiger Woods is not entered this week as he's recovering from an injury to his left elbow. The tournament is a fundraiser for his Tiger Woods Foundation.

For scoring updates, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.