Harrington heading out of St Jude Classic

Padraig Harrington was battling to make the cut as bad weather hit the Stanford St Jude Championship in windy Memphis.

The Dubliner was standing over his approach to his final hole when the horn signalled the arrival of electrical activity.

One over for his round and five over par for the tournament, Harrington was one stroke outside the projected cut mark when play was stopped.

And his problems didn't end there after a 317 yard drive onto a cart path left him contemplating a tricky 129 yard approach to the ninth green.

With the US Open at Oakmont next week, Harrington was determined to stick around for the weekend after opening with a four over par 74.

But his plans were thrown into disarray early on when he double bogeyed the par three 11th, his second, after dumping his approach in a lake.

He birdied the par three 14th from 12 feet and picked up another shot at the par five third before back to back bogeys at the fourth and fifth left him struggling on six over.

A birdie at the short eighth, where he drained a 20 footer gave him hope of making the cut before the weather rolled in.

And as he waited to finish off his round, he confessed that the tough TPC Southwinds course was tough preparation for next week's major test.

He said: "When it is firm and fast and the wind is blowing it is always tough.

"The greens are firm and fast as well and it is difficult day to get the clubs right. We are all getting blown around a bit and some shots are getting caught in gusts of wind.

"It is a day for patience but you have to realise that everyone is getting the same breaks.

"It's good preparation for next week because the greens are certainly fast enough. It is a challenging course and you have to think your way around it."

Aussie Adam Scott was two shots clear of the field on seven under par after picking up four shots through 16 holes when play was halted.