Thunderstorms halted play at the Greenbrier Classic Friday with Phil Mickelson looking likely to miss the cut and Tiger Woods trying to avoid the same fate.

When play was stopped because of lightning in the area, Mickelson was already in the clubhouse after a second straight one-over 71 for two-over 142.

The projected cut for the $US6.1 million event was hovering around one-under 139, making it likely Mickelson was going to have time to get a jump start on his preparations for the British Open, which starts July 19 at Royal Lytham.

Woods started the day one-over and was at even par through seven after a bogey and a birdie.

Jonathan Byrd and rookie Charlie Beljan were both in the clubhouse at eight-under 132.

Byrd carded a 68 while Beljan flirted with a 59 before signing for an eight-under 62.

“I haven’t really realised what’s going on,” said Beljan, a 27-year-old who earned his tour card by tying for 14th at qualifying school lat year.

Beljan, who won eight times on the developmental Gateway Tour, had nine birdies and just one bogey on the Old White TPC course, holing all 17 putts he faced from inside 10 feet.

Woods is playing here for the first time, coming into the event fresh off his 74th career victory at the National.

That made him the season’s only three-time winner, having also taken key major tuneup titles at the Memorial in June and the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March – although he was unable to carry that success through the Masters or US Open.