DULUTH, Ga.-Scott McCarron topped the leaderboard at 4 under with two holes left Friday when first-round play in the rain-delayed Mitsubishi Electric Classic was suspended because of darkness.
The start of the PGA Tour Champions event was delayed more than four hours because of 2 3/4 inches of rain overnight and severe weather in the morning at TPC Sugarloaf.
"The course played extremely difficult," McCarron said. "The wind was fairly strong and it swirls back there in the trees, so it's very difficult to guess what direction it was, what clubs to hit, start lines. I just thought it was very difficult. Tough to putt, everything."
The 53-year-old McCarron birdied Nos. 2, 3 and 5 before dropping a stroke on the par-4 sixth. He will resume play Saturday morning with a 118-yard third shot on the par-5 eighth.
"It was one of those days you were just grinding it out," McCarron said. "I hit it close quite a few times. Could have made some other ones from inside 10 feet and I didn't make them. But I'm happy with 4 under right now."
He has eight victories on the 50-and over tour after winning three times on the PGA Tour.
Bob May was a stroke back with seven holes remaining, and Sandy Lyle was 2 under with three to go.
Bernhard Langer was even par with four holes left, a week after tying for 62nd in the Masters. The 61-year-old German star won the 2013 event and finished second four of the last five years. He won the Oasis Championship in February for his 39th Champions title.
Defending champion Steve Flesch was 5 over with four holes left.
Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz was 5 over with seven holes remaining. The 51-year-old former Atlanta Braves star got into the field on a sponsor exemption. He tied for 53rd this season in Tucson, Arizona, in his tour debut.
Fellow former big league pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa was 4 over with eight to go. He also got a sponsor exemption.
Champions Tour- Mitsubishi Electric
Classic Scores
Friday
At TPC Sugarloaf
Duluth, Ga.
Purse: $1.8 million
Yardage: 6,987; Par 72
Partial First Round
Michael Bradley 34-38-72
Jerry Smith 36-36-72
Kirk Triplett 34-38-72
Willie Wood 37-36-73
Tim Petrovic 36-37-73
Glen Day 36-37-73
Rocco Mediate 38-35-73
Chris DiMarco 35-38-73
Wes Short, Jr. 37-37-74
Billy Mayfair 37-37-74
Kent Jones 37-37-74
Scott Verplank 37-37-74
Colin Montgomerie 37-37-74
Tommy Armour III 38-37-75
Retief Goosen 37-38-75
Mike Goodes 37-39-76
Lee Janzen 37-39-76
John Huston 37-39-76
John Daly 38-38-76
Billy Andrade 42-34-76
Greg Kraft 40-37-77
Jeff Sluman 36-41-77
Brad Bryant 36-41-77
Joey Sindelar 37-41-78
Leaderboard at time of suspended play
Golfer Scores Thru
Scott McCarron -4 16
Bob May -3 11
Sandy Lyle -2 15
Jerry Kelly -1 16
Ken Tanigawa -1 13
Tommy Tolles -1 13