By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent, Augusta

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Vijay Singh, who came to Augusta National for a practice round two weeks ago and shot 63, produced a 65 on Friday when it really mattered.

The Fijian, winner two years ago, stormed into a three-stroke lead at the 66th Masters before torrential rain ended play for the day and meant the second round spilled into Saturday.

Singh covered the longer back nine in a six-under 30 - one outside the tournament record - with an eagle at the 500-yard 15th and birdies at the 12th, 13th, 17th and 18th.

"I was not thinking about a number, but my wife asked me last night what would be a good score and I said 68," commented Singh. "I feel great about a 65.

"I didn't even know about the 30 until I was signing the card."

Singh was on the nine-under-par mark of 135 and the nearest to him in the clubhouse were Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia on five under. Harrington returned 70 and Garcia 71.

Out on the course, though, US Open champion Retief Goosen had just birdied the 11th to go to six under when the suspension came and both defending champion Tiger Woods, in the penultimate group, and Jose Maria Olazabal were three under after 10.

Until Singh's late flourish Harrington and Garcia were battling for the lead.

For the second day running Harrington's round promised to be even better, but after maintaining his challenge for a first major title he joked: "You would think a green jacket would suit an Irishman, but we will have to wait and see."

On the opening day the 30-year-old Irishman had dropped back from six under to three under over the closing six holes. This time he again took six on the long 13th, then after hitting back with birdies on the next two bogeyed the 425-yard 17th.

Harrington, who felt over-cautiousness was responsible for his failure to build on his brilliant start to the tournament, set off again - in heavy rain - with an approach to three feet on the 435-yard first.

As conditions improved, he did give that gain back by over-shooting the green at the short fourth and being unable to get up and down.

But then he birdied the ninth and 10th, two of the toughened-up holes, before the 510-yard 13th trapped him again.

In the first round he had hit his second into Rae's Creek. This time he four-putted it from just off the green.

His spirits were back up when he hit a superb approach to the 14th and then lipped out for eagle on the 15th. But two holes later he hooked into the crowd, could not make the green and then missed from eight feet.

With the soft conditions the opportunity was there for a low score and Singh's playing partner Dane Thomas Bjorn looked as if he might be the man for it when he birdied the first five holes to charge from two over to three under.

It was the first time in Masters history anyone had opened that well.

However, Bjorn then bogeyed the seventh, 10th and 11th to drop back into the pack before continuing his rollercoaster ride with further birdies on the next three holes for a 67 and three under aggregate.

Nick Faldo, winner of the title three times, almost did a Bjorn, grabbing birdies at four of the first five. He too cooled off after that, but birdies at the 13th and 15th had lifted him to two under again when he had to retreat to the clubhouse.

It was a curious round for Faldo, for while most of the field were playing in three-balls, he was left on his own.

That was caused by the fact that Hal Sutton withdrew before the start on Thursday with a side strain and Frank Lickliter joined him on the sidelines on Friday morning because of a hand injury.

Garcia held a share of the lead after grabbing a two at the 205-yard fourth, but although he then bogeyed the 11th he was relieved it cost him only one shot.

The Spaniard's approach seemed destined for the lake left of the green, but the muddy bank held it.

He also took six on the 13th and after a similar response to Harrington - birdies at the next two - he bogeyed the short 16th.

Compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez was going well too, adding a 71 to his initial 70 to stand three under, but there were some European horror stories as well.

Seve Ballesteros, whose wins in 1980 and 1983 had set the European ball rolling in the event, and first British winner Sandy Lyle both shot 81. It was the worst Masters round of his career for Lyle and equalled the worst for Ballesteros.

They crashed out as did Ian Woosnam, whose hopes had all but gone after an opening 77 in which he nearly quit after nine holes because of back trouble. Woosnam triple-bogeyed the devilish short 12th in a 78.

Paul Lawrie was another to miss the cut, returning a 74 for five over.

Darren Clarke bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 74 and level par total, while Lee Westwood had to wait to see if his three over total was good enough to survive - only the top 44 and ties make it - and he was on a knife-edge overnight.

Paul McGinley stood one over with five to play and Colin Montgomerie was stuck at three over after 11.

Belfast's Michael Hoey, who desperately wanted to make the cut because it looked like making him the first British amateur to win the silver cup as leading amateur, probably needed a birdie from the last four holes at four over.

Some of the biggest roars of the day were for the player lying last - 72-year-old Arnold Palmer, of course.

The four-time champion, who managed only an 89 on Thursday, had announced this was his final Masters round, indeed his final major championship round.

Palmer turned in 42, bogeyed the 10th and double-bogeyed the 11th, but he was guaranteed a rousing reception on every hole no matter what he scored.

Because of the rain, though, there was one more day for Arnie's Army to be on parade.