SCOTTSDALE, February 4, 2012 (AFP) - Spencer Levin fired an eight-under 63 for the clubhouse lead as the $6.1 million PGA Tour's Phoenix Open was suspended because of darkness for the second consecutive day on Friday.
Levin reached 14-under 128 through two rounds. His closest pursuer was fellow American Harrison Frazer, who was six-under for the day and 11-under for the tournament with three holes reamining in his second round when play was halted.
"Everything was pretty good today," Levin said. "My putting and chipping feels real solid.
"I felt pretty good going into my second round and it didn’t feel like a second round."
The beginning of the round was delayed an hour because of frost, and play was suspended because of darkness with 34 players still on the course.
Last year, chilly temperatures and frosty greens delayed play a total of nine hours during the week, forcing a Monday finish which went to a playoff.
The second round was to continue at 7:30 am on Saturday which means that for the sixth consecutive year the cut will be decided on Saturday.
Levin, who had an early tee off time, finished his round with a seven-shot lead. But an afternoon wave of contenders closed the gap, including Frazar and Webb Simpson.
Simpson (69) and John Huh (66) were in the clubhouse six strokes back of Levin on 134 while Kyle Stanley, who lost a heartbreaker to Brandt Snedeker in a playoff last week, is alone on 135 after shooting a 66 Friday.
Levin, who has gone from 131st to 31st on the money list in the last three years, hit 15 greens in regulation and needed just 25 putts in the second round.
Levin completed his first round early Friday, starting with three straight birdies to post a 65. He carried that good feeling over with birdies on his first two holes of his second round.
Levin's best shot of the day came in the second round when he holed out from a greenside bunker for eagle on the par-four 17th.
"I felt good today off the tee and with my irons. It is just amazing how quick your mind can change in this game," Levin said.
The Phoenix Open, dubbed the PGA Tour's biggest party tournament, features the par-three 16th hole where boozy fans in the grandstand cheer loudly when players make a good shot and boo drives that end up in the sand or short putts that don't fall.
Phil Mickelson, who attended nearby Arizona State University on a golf scholarship, got one of the loudest cheers of the day when he birdied 16.
Mickelson finished with a one-under 70 as he parred 18 in fading light. His group was able to finish because Mickelson putted out first on 17 then sprinted to the tee on 18 to get his drive off before the horn sounded so the entire group could be allowed to complete the final hole.
Leading first-round scores here on Thursday in the US PGA Tour $6.1 million Phoenix Open (USA unless otherwise noted):
63 - Spencer Levin
64 - Jason Dufner, Ryan Palmer
65 - Spencer Levin, Webb Simpson, Bo Van Pelt
66 - Harrison Frazar, Derek Lamely, Jarrod Lyle (AUS), Kevin Na, Chez Reavie, Bubba Watson
67 - Kris Blanks, James Driscoll, Trevor Immelman (RSA), Matt Jones, Sunghoon Kang (KOR), Bill Lunde, Seung-yul Noh (KOR), Jeff Overton, Rod Pampling (AUS)
68 - Keegan Bradley, Greg Chalmers (AUS), John Huh, Dustin Johnson, Justin Leonard, Billy Mayfair, Phil Mickelson, Scott Piercy, Kevin Streelman, Chris Stroud, Josh Teater, Johnson Wagner