Ireland's three-time major winner was making his seasonal debut at Riviera
Country Club near Los Angeles and opened his account with a first round of
one-over-par 73.
His second round got off to an encouraging start on a rainy Friday with two
birdies but as the day wore on four bogeys followed. A birdie at the 16th
had given Harrington some traction only for play to be brought to a close
last night with the Irishman on two over par with two to play.
More bad weather followed overnight with Riviera having to soak up more than
three inches of rainfall by this morning, and the resumption of play was
twice delayed further for the 41 players hoping to complete their second
rounds.
The wait did Harrington no favours and he bogeyed the 17th on the way to a 73
to slip to three over and heading out of the tournament.
Scotland's Martin Laird went in the other direction, though, having been three
over after bogeying the sixth hole, his 15th, when play was halted.
Laird resumed this morning with a birdie to get to two under and he held on
for second 72 in succession to make the cut on two over.
The third round was set to get under way with more rain forecast at Riviera
but with Justin Rose having got into contention with a four-under-par 67 in
the second round, leaving him four shots off the lead held by Steve Stricker
and the still-to-finish Dustin Johnson when play was brought to a premature
halt.
Johnson returned today and birdied the final hole to take the outright halfway
lead at 11 under, his 67 aided by a hole-in-one at the 199-yard, par-three
sixth.
Argentina's Andres Romero was set to start his third round in third place at
eight under following a 69, with Rose's 67 putting him in a tie for fourth
at six under alongside Kevin Stadler, who shot a level-par 71, Tim Wilkinson
(67) and Japan's Ryo Ishikawa (68).
Rose's compatriot and Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald finished with a
one-under 70 in a group at four under that also included American Brandt
Snedeker (72), South Africa's Ernie Els (70) and defending champion Phil
Mickelson.
Mickelson enjoyed a much a better day in the rain than he had on Thursday when
he had shot a one-over 72. The world number two got his bid for a third
Northern Trust Open title in a row back on track with a 66 to leap into a
tie for 13th.
Nick Dougherty leads way in Hassan Trophy to restore battered confidence 
