Weir in charge as Woods begins to stir

Tiger Woods finally ended his birdie drought after 22 holes and began to challenge at the US Masters on Friday as Mike Weir overhauled Darren Clarke with two late birdies for a two-shot lead in the second round.

Northern Irishman Clarke had upstaged his rivals with a superb six-under-par 66 in the delayed first round but was overtaken by Canadian Weir at six under overall after 12 holes before play was called off for the day in the gathering gloom.

Defending champion Woods, who had battled to an opening 76 at Augusta National earlier in the day, ended up eight strokes off the pace after 10 holes, having mixed three birdies with a solitary bogey at the par-four 18th. (Reuters)