Rain halts play at Gwinnett Championship

Duluth, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Joey Sindelar was one of five players that stood at 4-under par when the first round of the Greater Gwinnett Championship was halted by rain on Friday.

Sindelar was joined atop the leaderboard by Tommy Armour III, Gary Hallberg, Ian Woosnam and Olin Browne.

Heavy rain at TPC Sugarloaf halted play, and after a lengthy wait, officials called play for the day. The first round will resume on Saturday at 8 a.m. ET with the second round to follow at 10:40 a.m. Players will remain in the same groups for round two.

Tom Byrum posted a 3-under 69 and was one of three players that completed their opening rounds. Byrum shared sixth place with Steve Pate, Stephen Ames, Steve Jones, Kevin Sutherland, Brad Faxon, Mark O'Meara and Tom Pernice, Jr.

John Huston and Mark Brooks both carded 2-under 70s and are tied for 14th.

Reigning champion Miguel Angel Jimenez was even-par through 11 holes and was tied for 40th place, while 2013 winner Bernhard Langer shared 28th at minus-1.

Sindelar played the back nine first on Friday and he opened with a pair of pars. He converted his first birdie chance at the 12th, then ran off six straight pars from the 13th.

Around the turn, Sindelar dropped in back-to-back birdies at one and two to move to minus-3. After three more pars, he birdied the par-5 sixth to grab a share of the lead. Play was called shortly after that.

Armour and Hallberg started at the same time, but on opposite nines. Armour birdied the first and third to get off to a quick start. He later birdied the seventh and ninth to make the turn tied for the lead at minus-4. Armour parred the first five holes of the back nine before play was stopped.

Hallberg birdied the 12th and 15th to go with seven pars on his opening nine. He moved into a share of the lead with birdies on Nos. 1 and 3. Play was stopped after he parred his next two holes.

Woosnam traded a birdie at the 10th for a bogey at the 11th. He soared up the leaderboard with three birdies in his next four holes. Woosnam ran off six consecutive pars from the 16th. He birdied the fourth to grab a share of the lead.

Browne birdied four of his first five holes from the 10th. He parred seven in a row before play was stopped for the day.

NOTES: Of the five leaders when play was called on Friday, only Browne and Hallberg have won on the Champions Tour and they both have one tour title ... Sindelar, Armour and Woosnam are all looking for their first tour victory ... This was the first suspension on the Champions Tour since last year's Quebec Championship.