Woods and Mickelson miss cut as Simpson leads Greenbrier

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both missed the cut for the first time in the same tournament as U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson led at halfway in the Greenbier Classic.

The storm-hit tournament in West Virginia finished late into Friday evening with 12 players still out on the course, but by then Woods and Mickelson knew they would not be around for the weekend.

Woods, coming off the back of his superb victory at the AT&T National carded a one-under-par second round of 69 for level-par 140, one outside the projected cut.

Mickelson completed a second straight 71, to be three off the mark.

"I didn't quite have it," Woods told gathered reporters.

"I just didn't have feel for my distance control," Woods said. "The ball was going forever."

He will now turn his attention to winning his 15th major title in the British Open at Royal Lytham in northern England later this month and quipped:

"It's not going to be this warm and we're not going to be at altitude."

Mickelson, who is not enjoying the best of fortunes in recent PGA Tour events, is also looking forward to a change of scene.

"I certainly am looking forward to links golf," he said.

Meanwhile, Simpson continued his hot streak with a second round 66 for a nine-under total of 131, lifting him clear at the top of a congested leaderboard.

Jonathan Byrd, Charlie Beljan, Jeff Maggert and Jerry Kelly were his nearest challengers in the clubhouse on eight-under 132, while Martin Flores was eight-under through 16 holes when play was halted.

Meanwhile, Lee Westwood, England's world number three, has suffered an injury scare ahead of the British Open.

Westwood, still searching for his first major win, slipped on wooden steps while walking to the first tee at the French Open Saturday.

He has hurt and knee and strained his groin and slid to a five-over 76, his worst round in Europe for over three years.

It left Westwood way off the pace set by England's David Howell and Anders Hansen of Denmark who shared the lead on six-under going into the final round at Le Golf National near Paris.