Lewis' hold on lead doesn't slip in rain

J.L. Lewis turned soft greens and fairways into a second straight 6-under 65 and held a two-stroke lead in the second round of the rain-soaked John Deere Classic.

Several groups were on the course when play was suspended. They will finish this morning. The third round will follow the cut.

Jonathan Byrd, the first-round co-leader with Lewis, bogeyed two holes on the back nine for 67 that left him in second place at 10 under. Vijay Singh was another two strokes back in third after 68.

A steady morning ran eased for the afternoon rounds at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run. There was a 35-minute rain delay.

More rain was forecast for today, with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, said Stewart Williams, a meteorologist at the PGA tournament. He said Sunday should be dry and cloudy, with temperatures in the high 60s.

Lewis, who won the Quad City PGA event in 1999, offset his first bogey of the tournament with a chip-in eagle on No. 17.

"I was lucky. I think the people who teed off in the morning got the bad end of the draw," said Lewis, who was 12-under 130.

Lewis and Byrd played a few holes in the rain but were on the course when the sudden downpour suspended play.

Singh said he hoped to be aggressive Friday after closing with eagle and birdie in the first round. But he said the morning showers "kind of messed everything up."

CONSTELLATION CLASSIC: Des Smyth beat the rain and bucked a trend in the opening round in Hunt Valley, Md.

Smyth had five birdies on the back nine and shot 5-under 67 to share the lead of the Champions Tour event with Larry Nelson and Jay Sigel.

Smyth teed off as part of the second threesome and was in the clubhouse before a persistent rain shower played havoc with the majority of the field.

Sigel and Nelson got caught in the bad weather, but only for the final few holes. Sigel fell back into a tie for the lead with bogey on 18, while Nelson, who had an eagle and four birdies, bogeyed 17.

The leaders ended the day two shots ahead of Gary McCord and Ed Fiori.