Barber leads suspended BMW Charity Pro-Am

Greer, SC (SportsNetwork.com) - Blayne Barber fired a 9-under 63 on Thursday to claim the lead at the BMW Charity Pro-Am before play was suspended for darkness.

The start of the opening round was delayed four hours due to inclement weather, causing the eventual suspension with just four groups remaining on their respective courses.

Barber, who won the South Georgia Classic two weeks ago, played his opening round at Green Valley Country Club, one of the three courses being used during the tournament.

"I'm definitely feeling some carry over from the win in Valdosta," Barber said. "It's one of those times when I'm playing well and not thinking a whole lot."

Dawie van der Walt carded an 8-under 64 at Green Valley to sit alone in second place, while Bill Lunde, Kevin Kim, Jonathan Randolph, Skip Kendall and Cliff Kresge shared third at 7-under 65.

Kim, Kendall and Kresge all played at Green Valley, while Lunde and Randolph played at The Reserve at Lake Keowee.

Henrik Norlander was 6-under through 16 holes at Thornblade Club to sit among a group of eight other players who had finished their first rounds and were tied for eighth place.

Barber opened his impressive round with back-to-back birdies at the first and second and after tripping to a bogey at the fourth, he converted three straight gains from the fifth to jump to 4-under.

He rolled in another trio of birdies from the 11th to vault to 7-under, and then birdied the 15th and 16th to reach 9-under. He parred his final two holes to end there.

Van der Walt followed an opening par with four birdies over his next six holes before a bogey at the eighth dropped him back to minus-3 at the turn.

He would not drop another shot for the rest of the day, however, and recorded birdies at Nos. 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16 during an inward 31 to pull within a shot of the lead.

NOTES: The first round will resume at 7:45 a.m. ET, with the second round scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ...Lift, clean and place conditions were in effect at all three courses and will be for the second and third rounds ... The Reserve at Lake Keowee and Green Valley Country Club are both par-72 courses, while the Thornblade Club is a par 71.