Howell could hardly be shining more brightly (Getty Images)

David Howell and Luke Donald were on Saturday raring to resume their bids for Masters glory after their startling progress was held up by more brutal weather at Augusta National.

Four months after switching on the Christmas lights in Swindon, Howell could hardly be shining more brightly going into the weekend at the Masters.

And he is not the only English newcomer to the event sitting proudly at the top of the leaderboard - Donald is there as well, alongside Howell on five under par.

The start of the event on Thursday was delayed for nearly five and a half hours after a thunderstorm and there was no play from lunchtime yesterday because of the threat of another.

Howell has so far managed 26 holes and Donald a mere 20, while American Chris DiMarco, the other player on five-under, had time only for one hole of his second round before the stoppage.

Organisers need to cram a lot of golf into the weekend, and the English pair will be tested to their limits.

As for the 'Big Four', world number one Vijay Singh lurks menacingly one shot off the lead and defending champion Phil Mickelson is just three back.

However Tiger Woods' opening 74 left him seven shots adrift and last year's runner-up Ernie Els is eight off the pace.

The overnight forecast was for much better weather and so tournament officials were still hoping to get the second round completed by early afternoon today and then most if not all of the third round done by nightfall.

More heavy rain could force a third successive Monday of play on the US tour, with competition chairman Will Nicholson declaring: "The winner will play 72 holes and we're traditionalists.

"We want to play the ball down."

This time last year Justin Rose led after 36 holes and Alex Cejka and Jose Maria Olazabal were joint second. None of them ended up in the top 25, so Howell and Donald need no reminding that there is an awful long way to go.

Fuzzy Zoeller is the only debutant to have won the Masters since Gene Sarazen in 1935, but while Howell entered the week happy if he played all four rounds Donald had high hopes.

The High Wycombe golfer came joint second two weeks ago in the Players Championship, golf's unofficial fifth major, and he already has a US tour victory and two other runners-up finishes to his name.

Howell, in contrast, has a best placing of 36th on American soil.

The 29-year-old has not won anywhere since the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic, but his climb into the world's top 50 qualified him for a debut.

It has gone like a dream so far, however there would have been trouble yesterday, but for coach Clive Tucker's jetlag.

After an opening 72 on Thursday, 27-year-old Howell went to bed thinking his second-round tee-off time had been pushed back to 1.20pm because of the weather delay.

It was actually 10.20am, but when Tucker, among 11 friends and family staying in the same house, woke up early he turned on the television and saw the correct time.

He broke the news to Howell, who then went out and birdied five out of seven holes after starting on the back nine.

"I'm obviously delighted with my day's work, even if it was only eight holes," commented Howell, whose girlfriend Emily is the personal assistant to the Queen's private secretary, but was not required to be at today's royal wedding.

"With the suspension coming when it did at least I get a shot of my name at the top of the leaderboard."

Donald is getting used to pressure and rain delays.

"I try and switch my brain off. Just try not to get too entangled with other players talking about the weather and the golf," he said.

"I just try to be quiet with myself or find a quiet corner really and get away from it."

Donald's opening 68 left him joint second and an eight-foot putt on the long second hole of his second round made it a three-way tie overnight.

Ian Poulter and Darren Clarke stand level par and joint 14th early in their second rounds, but Padraig Harrington dropped to two-over, putting him 36th and alongside Woods.

Sandy Lyle stood four-over, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood six-over, Graeme McDowell eight-over and British amateur champion Stuart Wilson 13-over.

No European has won a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999.

Spaniards Sergio Garcia, fourth last year, and two-time winner Jose Maria Olazabal both began with 77s.

After the second round the field is trimmed to the leading 44 and ties, plus anybody within 10 strokes of the lead.