Appleby up six at wind-suspended Australian Open

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SYDNEY (AP) -- Stuart Appleby shot a second consecutive 6-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead at the wind-suspended Australian Open.

Appleby had played just two holes Friday before a near six-hour suspension due to gusting winds on the oceanside links-style New South Wales Golf Course. He had a two-round total of 12-under 132, with five birdies, a bogey and an eagle on the par-5 18th, which was his ninth hole Friday.

Appleby's overnight six-stroke lead was reduced to just two when Adam Scott completed his round Saturday morning, also shooting 66. Scott Hend, who shared the lead with Appleby after the first round, finished with 71 and was five shots back in third place.

John Daly also completed his second round Saturday with a 69 and was at 3-under 141, nine shots behind. Daly was set to make the cut after failing to qualify for the weekend at all three Australian tournaments he played last year -- the Open, Masters and PGA.

Play was stopped Friday morning after balls were blown off greens by the wind, before most groups had teed off.

"It's nothing to do with the golf course," tournament director Trevor Herden said. "No matter where you were today you wouldn't be able to play with those wind gusts."

It was the third time in eight years that the country's most prestigious tournament had been interrupted because putting became impossible.

"The powers that be didn't get it right," Appleby said. "It unfortunately seems to be an Australian Open tradition."

Australian Brett Rumford made a quintuple-bogey eight at the par-3 second after his tee shot settled near the flag.

As Rumford prepared to putt, a gust of wind blew his ball off the green. After consulting two rules officials Rumford decided to chip it back on, from where he three-putted. He was subsequently penalized one shot for addressing a moving ball and two more for not replacing it, and shot 78.

Tour veteran Peter O'Malley, in contention after an opening round of 69, watched while his ball roll from tap-in range to 10 feet away on the 13th immediately before play was suspended.

"As far as putting goes it was a lottery," said O'Malley. "You can't really stand up on the greens and putt. You don't know if you can ground the putter ... because you don't know whether it's going to roll again."

Greg Chalmers, runner-up to Tiger Woods at the Australian Masters in Melbourne last month, agreed.

"When you've got balls moving on greens ... that's hard to take when it costs you money," said Chalmers, who shot 72 Friday and is 10 strokes behind Appleby. "There are a lot of guys whose tournament has been kicked out the door."