Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy’s careers have followed very different trajectories in recent seasons, but the Dubliner has upstaged the world number one in spectacular fashion at the Honda Classic by soaring to the top of the second round leaderboard while McIlroy has failed to make the halfway cut.
The event will not be completed until Monday after the weather caused more delays at PGA National in Palm Beach.
Harrington, who won this tournament 10 years ago, carded a second-round 66 which took him to seven under par overall, one shot ahead of American Patrick Reed.
The second round was completed on Saturday, after bad weather and light had forced an early end on Friday, but the day's play was then ended 50 minutes into the third round due to lightning in the area as well as heavy wind and rain.
When play does get back under way on Sunday, Harrington will be hoping to keep the momentum going.
He has not been victorious on the PGA or European Tour since winning the last of his third majors - the US PGA Championship - in 2008, after which he decided to re-model his swing.
The Dubliner is now 297th in the world but was as low as 371 last year before he won on the Asian Tour's Bank BRI Indonesia Open in December to give himself a boost.
"I think I'm in a good place that I can deliver more performances like this," he told the PGA Tour website.
"I feel like there's good days ahead, so, you know, I'm not thinking, 'Oh, I've got to do it and it will be a long time before it comes around again.' I feel I'm in a good place with my game and I feel I give myself plenty of opportunities like this going forward."
Harrington, who has missed four cuts in his last five PGA Tour matches, ended his round with bogeys at his final two holes but is still ahead of Reed, who shot a 67 on Friday.
England's Ian Poulter put himself firmly in contention with a round of 64, which included an eagle, five birdies and just the one bogey, moving him up to joint third alongside Brendan Steele.
Poulter's compatriot Luke Donald is one shot further back, while Russell Knox of Scotland is on three under overall.
McIlroy’s US seasonal debut finished with a whimper as he missed his first cut since last June’s Irish Open at Fota Island.
The 25-year-old added a 74 to a first round of 73 as he exited on seven over, three shots off the cut line.
