ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Chris Stroud, needing a good showing this week to keep his PGA Tour card for 2011, took the first-round lead Friday in the Children's Miracle Network Classic.
Stroud shot a 62 at the Palm Course of the Walt Disney World Resort to lead Roland Thatcher by three shots. Both the Palm Course and the Magnolia Course are being used for the first two rounds of the final event on this year's tour.
The top 125 money winners at the end of this week will gain full playing privileges on next season's circuit and Stroud came into this event ranked No. 119.
The start of the first round was delayed for an hour by fog and the round was eventually suspended by darkness with 14 players still on the course.
Rickie Fowler, Jerry Kelly, Cameron Percy, Tim Herron and Brenden Pappas shared third place at 66.
Among those who were in jeopardy of losing their cards coming into this week were Robert Garrigus and Woody Austin, but they both got off to a good start. Garrigus is ranked 122nd and Austin is 123rd on the money list. They both shot a 68 Thursday and were in a tie for 14th.
Stroud is in the lead of a PGA Tour event for only the second time. He was atop the leaderboard after the second round of the 2008 Texas Open.
