English duo out in front

England’s David Howell went on a spectacular second-round charge to share the lead with Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald and American Chris DiMarco on his Masters debut at Augusta National today – before rain held up play again.

The 29-year-old from Swindon, without a tournament victory since the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic and with a best finish on American soil of 37th, thrilled the band of family and friends supporting him with five birdies in seven holes on the back nine.

Howell was preparing for a six-foot par putt on the 18th, his ninth, when the sirens sounded to suspend play because of an approaching storm.

“That was alright – beautiful,” he said of his performance. “Everything is going great. I’m nice and relaxed and it’s nice to have some friendly faces around.”

Howell, sharing a house with 11 others, came into the week hoping to make the halfway cut. But his targets were going up all the time.

His confidence boosted by an opening level par 72, he set off again with a six-iron to within five feet of the 10th flag, then rolled in a curling 25-footer on the next.

He two-putted the two par fives, the 13th and 15th, and then hit his tee shot to eight feet at the short 16th – the hole where 73-year-old Billy Casper had a tournament record 14 yesterday.

“It had four feet of break on it – unbelievable,” he said. Nevertheless that one went in as well.

“I’m not nervous yet. I wasn’t on the first tee and I guess that a bit of the Ryder Cup in there.”

His burst came as the first round – delayed for 5 1/2 hours at the start because of storms – was just being completed before the stoppage.

Main European attention in that had focused on Donald. Another debutant, but one of whom much more was expected after his second place in the Players Championship two weeks ago.

Donald did not disappoint. After three late birdies last night he picked up where he left off, making a 20-footer from the fringe of the sixth green.

Three pars followed for a four under par 68 which put him joint second with one behind first round leader Chris DiMarco. And he went set out again little more than half an hour later he birdied the long second to make it a three-way tie at the top.

Alongside Donald on 68 after the first round was world number one Vijay Singh, who birdied the 13th and 14th and missed two other good chances over the closing stretch, while defending champion Phil Mickelson tucked in just behind with a 70.

Donald could have been at the top of the pile then. His pitch to the long eighth spun close to the hole, but rolled 30 feet away and at the last a five-foot birdie chance went begging.

“It’s a great start, but nothing more than that,” said the High Wycombe golfer. “I’m very happy with the way I’m playing, but this course can bite you back.”

DiMarco also had four holes to play when the tournament resumed and he too kicked off with a two at the sixth – the hole he aced in last year’s opening round – and continued to match Donald the rest of the way.

Mickelson instantly moved a stroke off the lead when he set off again, hitting his tee shot to seven feet on the short 12th.

The left-hander chose to lay up on the long 13th, however, failed with his birdie attempt and then bogeyed the next to slip back to joint sixth on two under.

Tiger Woods continued to have an eventful time. Somehow only two over par overnight the world number two birdied the fifth, but at the sixth his first putt from the front nine failed to make it up the sharp slope and came back to him.

His next attempt steamed 10 feet past the flag, but he made that for a bogey four. Another birdie followed, but then a bogey six and he finished with a 74, seven adrift of Ryder Cup teammate DiMarco.

Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke all matched Howell’s 72, while another member of the Ryder Cup, Frenchman Thomas Levet turned his woeful season – not one cut made yet – on its head with a one under 71.

But Harrington’s hopes suffered a bad blow just before the stoppage. He double-bogeyed the 11th and went down to two over.

Donald’s former Walker Cup colleague Graeme McDowell did not have such a successful debut round. Eight over after 10 holes he eventually finished with a seven over 79, while 1988 winner Sandy Lyle came in with a 74.

Lee Westwood struggled to a 77 and Sergio Garcia, fourth last year, was on the same mark with one to play.

Jose Maria Olazabal, who lost a play-off for the BellSouth Classic on Monday after missing two short putts, did not have a single birdie and closed with a double bogey six for a 77.

Many of the locals must have thought it was their man Charles Howell at the top of the leaderboard. But David Howell is a celebrity in his home town – he switched on the Swindon Christmas lights.