Garcia, Thompson tied for lead at Honda Classic

– Sergio Garcia and Michael Thompson made it through the suspended first round of the Honda Classic on Thursday with a share of the lead.

The 42-year-old golfer is in stable condition at a Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. hospital. He was taken by ambulance to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, where tests revealed a mild heart attack.

Fowler became the first player to go bogey-free over the opening 36 holes in the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National in 2007.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed course – featuring the tough “Bear Trap” of holes 15, 16 and 17 – got the better of Rory McIlroy, who looked headed for an early exit for the second straight year after a two-over 72 that included a triple-bogey six at the par-three fifth – his 14th hole of the day.

Meanwhile, Garcia found the going tougher on day two as he followed his opening 65 with a hard-working 69 to stay in touch with the leader at the halfway stage.

McIlroy, who shot his second consecutive 2-over-par 72 to stand at 4-over par and missed the cut, brusquely refused interview requests. He made a birdie on the next hole before committing his lone blemish of the round at the sixth, where he forced to avoid an alligator on his way to recording a bogey after missing an 18-foot par putt.

“I told my caddie to get the phone out”, Harrington said.

With two holes to play, Walker knew he had ground to make up on Fowler when he heard cheers coming from the 18th green.

Germany’s Alex Cejka posted his second hole-in-one in the past four months by acing the 177-yard par three, 17th hole, the final hole of a challenging three hole section known as the Bear Trap.

“Obviously I’ve played a lot of good rounds of golf so far this year – lots of rounds in the 60s – so that’s good for the confidence”.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, who also won the title in 2005, got off to a rocky start with a three-over 73. He finished his round with two-putt pars and successful birdie putts of 8 feet at the sixth and 22 feet at the ninth. “We’ll take all those good things and try to use them to our advantage”.

Fowler has bounced back nicely from giving up a two-shot lead with two holes to play in his last tournament at the Phoenix Open.

McIlroy then had a chance to win in 2014, but blew it with a final-round 74, losing in a playoff.

Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson, who also played in the morning, was one of nine players who carded a 69. “For sure, you are wondering a little bit, because usually my long game, it’s up there, and even when I’m not playing great, I still can manage to get around it. But last week, I felt out of sorts”.

McIlroy, now ranked third in the world behind American Jordan Spieth and Australian Jason Day, is chasing his first victory of 2016.