Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. ? Padraig Harrington knew where Tiger Woods was at The Players Championship without ever seeing him Friday.

Despite hitting the ball sideways, the Irishman shot a 4-under 68 and went to the back end of the practice range in fading sunlight. Behind him, an enormous gallery bustled with excitement as Woods briefly put together a charge.

Harrington was oblivious to it all.

He admires Woods and appreciates his talent, but Harrington has other concerns.

“I’m more concerned about what I’m doing and getting my own game in shape,” he said. “I haven’t had a moment’s time to sit back and think about somebody else’s game. When I’m playing my very best golf, then I might start to look at a gap.”

He wasn’t his best on a long, strange Friday, but it was good enough.

Harrington was at 9-under 135 and had a two-stroke lead over Davis Love III (67), Craig Perks (69) and Skip Kendall (69), the only player who hasn’t made a bogey this week.

The second round was suspended by darkness with 27 players unable to finish.

Woods was on the cut line until making three quick birdies. He wound up with a 70 and was seven shots out of the lead.

The cut likely will be even par when the second round is completed this morning, the lowest since it was 2 under in 1996.

“I didn’t know what the cut was,” Woods said. “We thought it would be about 1 or 2 (over). Evidently, it dropped, which is kind of remarkable on this golf course.”

Indeed, it was a remarkable day.

Fred Couples woke up early and turned back the clock, polishing off a 5-under 67 in the morning to share the first-round lead with Harrington.

Couples, a two-time winner at The Players Championship and still the crowd favorite, had a 71 in the second round and was at 6-under 138, along with 22-year-old Adam Scott (69) and 49-year-old Jay Haas (70).

“I know not everyone and his brother is worried about what I’m shooting, but I’m worried about it,” Couples said. “I’m playing well right now.”

The biggest worry belonged to Perks, the longshot winner at Sawgrass last year who has been hearing all week how he has no chance to repeat.

He had to finish five holes Friday morning because of the rain delay. The problem was finding someone to carry his bag.

His caddie, Rodney Erb, was stopped for speeding Thursday night and police discovered an outstanding warrant for worthless checks. A Duval County jail spokesman said Erb spent the night in jail before posting bond for $513.

Meanwhile, Perks summoned The Rev. George Woods, a chaplain for the caddies, to tote his bag in the morning, then used veteran caddie Tony Lingard in the afternoon.