Shane Lowry and Seamus Power were left to chase down Brooks Koepka at the Masters as Rory McIlroy crashed out at halfway at Augusta National.
The Holywood star was destined to miss the halfway cut after a 77 left him on five over when play was suspended for the day with 40 players still to finish.
Augusta National confirmed that no injuries were reported after three trees were blown over to the left of the 17th shortly before play was suspended for the second time late in the afternoon due to an approaching thunderstorm.
"The safety and well-being of everyone attending the Masters Tournament will always be the top priority of the Club," Augusta National said in a statement.
"We will continue to closely monitor weather today and through the tournament.
"The second round has been officially suspended for the rest of the day. Play will resume Saturday morning at 8:00 am EDT."
Brooks Koepka added a 67 to his opening 65 to lead on 12-under par with Spain's Jon Rahm his nearest rival, three shots behind after birdies at the eighth and ninth left him on nine-under with nine holes still to complete.
McIlroy carded a disappointing 77 to finish in five-over and immediately jetted home to Florida.
The world number two officially declined to speak to reporters after missing the cut for the second time in three years in his ninth attempt to complete the career grand slam.
Lowry was the leading Irish contender, tied for 10th on four-under-par through 13 holes when play was suspended at 4:22 pm and eventually called off for the rest of the day.
Power was level for the day through 12 holes and tied 44th on one-over, a shot inside the projected cut, while amateur Matt McClean was destined to miss the weekend after rounds of 77 and 74 left him on seven-over.
A cold front swept through the course after play was suspended with the temperature plummeting from 28C to 18C.
Lowry's putter had already gone cold and he cut a frustrated figure on the greens as he remained stuck on four-under-par.
The Clara man birdied the par-five second but bogeyed the short par-four third after chipping over the green and missing a seven-footer for par.
He got up and down for par at the fifth to remain four under, then rifled his tee shot to four feet at the par-three sixth to go one under for the day.
His frustration with the putter only grew with a series of near misses on the next six greens.
He shaved the hole from 19 feet for birdie at the seventh, missed a nine-footer for birdie at the eighth, a seven-footer at the ninth and a 15-footer at the 10th before failing with a four-footer for par at the 11th.
He then fired a beautiful shot over the stick at the par-three 12th but left the green muttering as his 11-footer also failed to drop.
When he pulled his approach left of the par-five 13th, he chipped only to the fringe and walked away, shaking his head after his 20-foot birdie try shaved the hole.
He was in the middle of the 14th fairway when play was suspended as Power's approach to the 13th appeared to finish perilously close to Rae's Creek.
After struggling with the driver on day one, the West Waterford man missed just two of nine fairways in round two, making two birdies and two bogeys to share 44th on one-over par.
He got up and down from short of the green for birdie at the second but bogeyed the third after flying the green.
Like Lowry, he hit a sensational tee shot to five feet to set up a birdie two at the sixth but handed that shot back when he failed to get up and down from right of the 11th.