<p>Kuchar added a 69 to his opening round of 67 to reach the halfway stage at eight-under and lead by one shot from his countryman Nick Watney, who carded a 68, with a group of seven players, including Britain's Rory McIlroy and South Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul, a further shot back at five-under. <br /><br />Exactly half of the 156-player field, including world number one Tiger Woods, failed to finish their second rounds after spending most of the day cooling their heels following another delayed start at the Whistling Straits course that hugs the coastline of Lake Michigan. <br /><br />Almost six hours were lost on the first two days because of the thick blanket of fog each morning, leaving organisers scrambling to get the last major of the year back on schedule. <br /><br />Kuchar was among the 78 players who had to complete their opening rounds early on Friday morning but then got the benefit of going straight back out to play their second rounds before the wind picked up late in the afternoon. <br /><br />Britain's Simon Khan briefly joined Kuchar at eight-under but bogeyed the last three holes to slip back to a tie for third and leave Watney as Kuchar's closest challenger. South Africa's Ernie Els also had trouble at the end of his round, finishing with a double bogey to end on two-under. <br /><br />US Masters champion Phil Mickelson had an up and down day, struggling to find the fairway, but holed some long putts for a 69 to join Els at two-under. <br />Woods, who shot 71 on the opening day, made a solid start to his second round, scrambling to par his first six holes to remain at one under when play was suspended because of fading light. <br /><br />American Jason Dufner shot a superb 66, the lowest completed round of the championship, to join Bryce Molder (67), Dustin Johnson (68), Zach Johnson (70), McIlroy, Khan and Noh at five-under. <br /><br />McIlroy had an adventurous day, playing one brilliant recovery shot from the water's edge, and holding his nerve in the tricky conditions to put himself in contention to challenge for his first major title.</p>
<p>Kuchar added a 69 to his opening round of 67 to reach the halfway stage at eight-under and lead by one shot from his countryman Nick Watney, who carded a 68, with a group of seven players, including Britain's Rory McIlroy and South Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul, a further shot back at five-under. <br /><br />Exactly half of the 156-player field, including world number one Tiger Woods, failed to finish their second rounds after spending most of the day cooling their heels following another delayed start at the Whistling Straits course that hugs the coastline of Lake Michigan. <br /><br />Almost six hours were lost on the first two days because of the thick blanket of fog each morning, leaving organisers scrambling to get the last major of the year back on schedule. <br /><br />Kuchar was among the 78 players who had to complete their opening rounds early on Friday morning but then got the benefit of going straight back out to play their second rounds before the wind picked up late in the afternoon. <br /><br />Britain's Simon Khan briefly joined Kuchar at eight-under but bogeyed the last three holes to slip back to a tie for third and leave Watney as Kuchar's closest challenger. South Africa's Ernie Els also had trouble at the end of his round, finishing with a double bogey to end on two-under. <br /><br />US Masters champion Phil Mickelson had an up and down day, struggling to find the fairway, but holed some long putts for a 69 to join Els at two-under. <br />Woods, who shot 71 on the opening day, made a solid start to his second round, scrambling to par his first six holes to remain at one under when play was suspended because of fading light. <br /><br />American Jason Dufner shot a superb 66, the lowest completed round of the championship, to join Bryce Molder (67), Dustin Johnson (68), Zach Johnson (70), McIlroy, Khan and Noh at five-under. <br /><br />McIlroy had an adventurous day, playing one brilliant recovery shot from the water's edge, and holding his nerve in the tricky conditions to put himself in contention to challenge for his first major title.</p>
