Wagner holds clubhouse lead at Houston Open

HOUSTON, Texas (Reuters) - Johnson Wagner shot a three-under-par 69 to grab a three-stroke clubhouse lead in the second round of the weather-delayed Houston Open on Friday.

A storm front forced a one hour, 45-minute suspension of play in the afternoon and as a result 36 players were unable to complete their second round at Redstone Golf Club.

Wagner, co-leader overnight with holder Adam Scott of Australia after both fired course record 63s on Thursday, offset two bogeys with five birdies to finish 12-under on 132.

World number five Scott, one of the late starters, slumped to a four-over-par 76 to tumble down the leaderboard.

Mathew Goggin of Australia and American Charley Hoffman were tied for second at nine-under-par 135.

Goggin had two eagles on the front nine after holing his second shot at the par-four fifth and taking a three at the par-five eighth shot 64. Hoffman added a 70 to his opening 65.

Wagner entered the tournament mired in a slump, though the Redstone course agrees with him. He shot a course record-tying 64 on his way to a ninth-place finish last year.

"There's nothing about this place I don't like," Wagner told reporters. "The course is incredible. I love the setup. The condition is great, and I think if I had to pinpoint one thing I would say my ability to read these greens."

Goggin holed an eight-iron from the middle of the fairway for his eagle-two and then holed out from a greenside bunker to eagle the par-five eighth, said the bunker shot had sparked his round.

"All of a sudden, I didn't hit a bad shot for the rest of the day and had plenty of opportunities," he said. "That sort of really got things going."

Goggin's round gave him a chance to follow on the success of many of his compatriots in Houston, where six Australians have triumphed previously.

"I don't know why we play well here," Goggin said. "It's not like it's a classic Australian golf course.

"It's wide open," he said of the course set up to mimic the light rough and broad fairways of Augusta National.

"Maybe we're just all better on courses you don't have to think around, you just 'smash it and go find it' type thing."

American Chad Campbell also returned a 64 to stand alone in fourth place with a seven-under tally of 137, one stroke better than compatriots Lucas Glover and Robert Garrigus.

Joining Scott at 139 were Ben Crane, who fired a 65, and Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, who posted a 70.

(Writing by Larry Fine; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)