Several Aussies face fierce fights to make the cut when play resumes in the second round tomorrow.
After more than three hours was lost to torrential rain early on day two, 42 players will be back on Saturday morning to complete their rounds at 7am local time.
Of the six Aussies among them, four are marginally in black numbers with the cut projected to be even par.
The other two looking comfortable are Jason Day in a tie for third at eight under and Greg Chalmers is T25 at three under.
Day will resume on the 12th green with a testing 2m par putt to stay within two of leader Dustin Johnson who’ll resume on the 14th hole.
Chalmers has had a very entertaining round with an opening four his only par – the West Australian has made five birdies to outweigh his four bogeys.
More heat will come for Adam Bland, John Senden and Scott Hend who will all resume on one over, while Scott Arnold will need to charge from his two over position.
Bland was the best of the late Aussies with no bogeys through seven holes to give him strong hope of advancing in his second major championship.
Senden opened in uncharacteristically wobbly fashion with bogeys on the fourth and fifth, but a steadying birdie on the seventh mixed among pars gives him hope, too.
Hend, too, has ridden somewhat of a rollercoaster with three birdies and two bogeys in his opening six holes.
Arnold couldn’t recapture his opening-round form and bogeys on the second, fourth and fifth holes need him needing an instant turnaround when he resumes on the ninth.
Earlier, Marc Leishman looked in danger of sliding into the abyss when he took a double-bogey up the par-four ninth, but hung tough.
The Victorian responded with a one-under-par back nine, including a clutch closing birdie, to finish one under and in the safety zone after a 73.
Matt Jones endured a similar round, looking in slight trouble with three bogeys in an outward 38.
But the New South Welshman also steadied well and played a blemish-free one-under back nine to close with a 73 to be three under overall.
Not so fortunate were Scott Strange (77-73) to finish at six over and Rod Pampling (77-75) to end at eight over.