Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell carded seven birdies in a five-under round of 66 to shoot up the leaderboard at the Genesis Open.

McDowell, 38, sat tied for 17th after the first day’s play in California on 69, and opened Friday’s round with three birdies in a row.

He dropped a shot on each of the 13th and 14th and was two-under at the turn, but rallied with three more birdies including a 54-foot putt on the par-3 4th to go joint first.

Play was suspended on the second round due to bad light, with American Sam Saunders tied for the lead through 15 on seven-under.

They are joined at the top of the tree by American Patrick Cantlay who followed his round of 66 with a 69.

He went through the back nine on equal par but picked up shots including a 31-foot for birdie on the par-3 6th.

Ryan Moore sits one shot behind in fourth after scoring 68 for the second day in a row, while Americans Tony Finau and Scott Stallings are on five-under and tied for fifth, with Stallings due to play the final two holes of his second round tomorrow.

Tiger Woods, returning to the Riviera Country Club for the first time in 12 years, missed the cut after following a round of 72 with a disappointing 76 on Friday.

His round included three birdies, including the sinking of a 21-foot putt on the par-4 5th, but he dropped shots on four of the last eight holes.

Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut at last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, sits tied for 15th after going round in 69, two under for the round and the tournament.