Rory McIlroy bemoans 'brutal' Sawgrass conditions after second-round 73 at Players Championship

Rory McIlroy was able to complete his second round at the Players Championship with a 73 as the weather continued to impact proceedings.

Fierce winds again caused havoc at Sawgrass as the early rounds stretch into Sunday, with Seamus Power 16 holes into his second round on three under in a tie for 15th. He was two under for the day with two holes remaining when play was suspended due to darkness.

Shane Lowry will tee off his second round on Sunday after an opening 73.

With more bad weather forecast in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, play eventually was able to resume at noon local time (5pm Irish time) on Saturday and 47 players went on to complete their opening rounds just after 2pm - 55 hours and 16 minutes since the scheduled start.

McIlroy, the 2019 champion, continued his delayed first round on the par-five 16th, and went on to battle the windy conditions to card a one-over 73 which leaves him two over, five shots behind Power and four off Lowry.

McIlroy, starting at the 10th, could have been below par but for a costly double bogey at the seventh.

"The front nine was a little more sheltered so it probably didn't play quite as tough, but some of those holes on the back nine are so exposed, it is brutal out there," said McIlroy, who now faces an anxious wait to see if he makes the cut.

Tom Hoge and Tommy Fleetwood currently share the lead on six-under with both having completed just their opening rounds.

Open champion Collin Morikawa was one of several players to hit a tee shot into the water on the par-three 17th, which has an island green, along with the group of Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.

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Andrew Putnam, meanwhile, shot a triple-bogey six after three-putting from five feet - and then took