GLENCOE, Ill.-- Augusta State’s Henrik Norlander birdied his last three holes Wednesday for a 4-under 67 in the second round of the rain-delayed 108th Western Amateur at Skokie Country Club in suburban Chicago.

Norlander, a two-time All-American for ASU who helped lead the Jaguars to the 2010 National Championship in June, carded six birdies on the day and grabbed a share of the lead with incoming Southern Cal freshman Jeffrey Kang.

ASU’s Patrick Reed bounced back with an even-par 71, while Mitch Krywulycz stands at even par for the day and three-over par for the tourney through 12 holes, just two shots off the projected cut line.

Western Golf Association officials reduced the stroke-play portion of the tourney to 54 holes from the normal 72 as a result of two major rain delays, the second of which caused play to be suspended for the day.

Play will resume at 7:30 a.m., Thursday for 18 players who have not yet started their second rounds and 62 players still on the course, including two from the morning round who are on their final hole.

At the conclusion of the second round -- at approximately 1:00 p.m. -- the field will be cut to the low 44 and ties. That group will play 18 holes to determine which 16 players will advance to the “Sweet 16” match play portion of the prestigious championship.

Tournament officials suspended play at 4:33 p.m., Wednesday after a deluge accompanied by lightning poured a half-inch of rain on the course in approximately 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, with all but two of the morning contestants through their second rounds, Norlander and Kang were tied for the 36-hole lead at 7-under par. Both shot 4-under par 67s after posting a pair of 3-under 68’s in the opening round.

“It was wet but the fairways were so soft you get the number [of the iron] and you hit,” said Norlander. “I had a lot of 8-7-6 irons today. I was very confident. I have been hitting my irons well for a long time.”

Twenty nations are represented among the 156-player field, which includes 80 of the world’s top 300 amateurs.

The Western Amateur is hosted by The Western Golf Association, which was founded in 1899 by 11 Chicago-area golf clubs. Today, more than 500 member clubs in states throughout the nation support the WGA, which conducts three national golf championships and sponsors the nationally acclaimed Chick Evans Caddie Scholarships.

The WGA also hosts the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, the third of the Tour’s four playoff events, at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill.

For more information on the Western Amateur, visit www.thewesternamateur.com.

For Golfweek’s coverage of Norlander at the Western Amateur, visit http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/aug/04/new-putter-norlander-leads-western-am/