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Five-time British Open Champion Tom Watson said goodbye to St. Andrews and the Open, as he walks over Swilcan Bridge one final time...

Dustin Johnson maintained his one-shot lead at the 144th Open before play was suspended due to darkness on a weather-hit second day at St Andrews.

The action was halted just a few minutes into the second round when the Old Course was battered by torrential rain, causing a lengthy delay as the groundstaff battled long and hard to get the course playable once the worst of the weather had passed.

Play was able to resume shortly after 10am, although 42 players were unable to complete their rounds and will return at 7am on Saturday morning, among them Johnson and Jordan Spieth after they opted to mark their balls without holing out at the 14th.

Danny Willett watches his shot from the third tee during his second round

But Tom Watson narrowly managed to complete his final round in an Open Championship, the five-time champion earning a standing ovation as he bid an emotional farewell in near-darkness on the historic 18th hole. 

Danny Willett did manage to get safely in the clubhouse, where he leads on nine under par after overcoming a nervy finish to birdie the last and post a three-under 69. The Sheffield pro cruised to the turn in 33 and picked up a fourth birdie at 10, but he dropped shots at 15 and 17 before bouncing back with a closing three.

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Danny Willett says he is embracing being top of the leaderboard at The Open and is receiving plenty of support on his phone.

But Johnson retained the outright lead by the end of the day, carding three birdies in four holes from the fourth and adding another at the 10th before dropping his first shot of the tournament at the short 11th, where his six-foot putt for par lipped out.

Lawrie still in touch

The US Open runner-up leads by one from Willett, while 1999 champion Paul Lawrie is just one further behind with five holes of his second round remaining after mixing three birdies with a lone bogey at the fourth.

The Scot shares third on eight under with Jason Day, who is also two under for the round after 11 holes, while Marc Warren, Zach Johnson, Adam Scott and Robert Streb are all in the clubhouse on seven under par.

Warren set the early target when he birdied the last to cap a battling five-birdie 69, while Johnson dropped three shots in five holes on the back nine but also made a three at 18 to salvage a 71.

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Marc Warren was pleased to put himself in position for a weekend charge with a second round 69 at the 144th Open.

Scott put together one of the rounds of the day, a flawless five-under 67 which included three birdies in four holes around the turn. Louis Oosthuizen joined the group at seven under when he hit back from a bogey at the fourth with birdies at three of the next five, and the 2010 champion will have seven holes to complete early on Saturday.

Luke Donald continued his welcome return to form as he rebounded from a six at the first to card six birdies and reach eight under, but the former world No 1 then bogeyed the final two holes to return a disappointing 70.

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After making the cut for The Open for the first time, Ireland's Paul Dunne is remaining level headed but hopes to use his momentum for the better.

Donald is on six under alongside Irish amateur Paul Dunne, who proved his opening 69 was no fluke when he birdied three of the last five holes to match his first-round effort and take a two-shot lead over Jordan Niebrugge and Romain Langasque in the race for the Silver Medal.

Matsuyama's hot run

Retief Goosen remained at six under after an erratic 72, while Hideki Matsuyama enjoyed a remarkable front nine as he birdied the first four holes and picked up further shots at the seventh and ninth to turn in just 30 blows.

The Japanese ace got to seven under for the round with another birdie at 10, but he bogeyed the next two holes before managing to sign off with another birdie at the long 14 moments before play was suspended.

Justin Rose made three straight birdies on each nine, although bogeys at 11 and 12 left him at five under after a 68, while Spieth was on the same score as he offset three birdies with as many bogeys in a rocky seven hole stretch around the turn.

But the end of the day belonged to Tom Watson, who was grateful to the hundreds of hardy and loyal fans as well as a number of R&A dignitaries who gave him the send-off he deserved.

Sir Nick Faldo was also given a rapturous reception as he came up the 18th hours earlier, and the three-time winner played the final hole of his creditable 71 wearing the famous yellow sweater he wore when winning his first Open crown at Muirfield in 1987.

As for Tiger Woods, he needs five birdies over his final seven holes to make the cut after struggling to the turn in 38 before giving himself a late lifeline with a birdie at the 10th - just his second of the tournament.