The last-chance saloon could have a distinctly European flavour after Paul Dunne and Shane Lowry, along with Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood kept their hopes of a place in the Masters alive at the Shell Houston Open
Only the winner of the event, who is not otherwise exempt, can claim the final place available at Augusta National for the first major championship of the year.
And although American Beau Hossler was in pole position to do that after adding a 68 to his opening 65 to reach 11 under par, the Irish pair remained in with a chance at the Golf Club of Houston.
Dunne, who held off Rory McIlroy to win his first European Tour title in the British Masters last year, was the best placed on nine under par after adding a 71 to his opening 64, which had briefly given him the outright lead after the delayed first round was completed on Friday morning.
But Lowry was just a stroke behind on eight under after carding five birdies and one bogey in a second consecutive 68, with Poulter another stroke back on seven under following a superb 64.
"I've been driving the ball well and when I can get the ball in the fairway with the driver, the rest of the game comes easier for me than that part of it," Dunne, who secured his place in Houston via a top-10 finish in the Dominican Republic last week, told Sky Sports.
"It would be nice to have a chance to win on Sunday so hopefully I can have a good round tomorrow and put myself in a position to where I can get the adrenalin going on Sunday."
Poulter was among the 33 players who had to finish their first rounds on Friday after a two-hour delay on the opening day caused by more than two inches of rain falling on the course overnight.
3:20 p.m. CT: @JordanSpieth is T43
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 30, 2018
4:30 p.m. CT: @JordanSpieth is T4
He's birdied 4 of his last 5 holes!#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/4zRle6URbT
Justin Rose, who lost out to Sergio Garcia in a play-off in the Masters last year, was alongside Poulter on seven under following a 69.
Westwood has not missed the Masters since 2004 and was second to Danny Willett as recently as 2016, but has slipped to 90th in the world and shot 78 in his last competitive round before this week in the World Super 6 in February.
The former world number one is six shots off the pace after adding a 70 to his opening 69.
Meanwhile, Seamus Power on five under is in a tie for 42nd after a level-par 72, while Padraig Harrington is on four under par after his 73.
