Jackson - PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ kept his one-stroke lead after Friday's completion of the opening round of the Sanderson Farms Championship.
The long-hitting American closed with four birdies in the final six holes Thursday to fire a seven-under par 65 to lead at Jackson, Mississippi, before darkness halted play.
The final 12 players completed the round on Friday, with the top finisher among them being US rookie Seth Reeves, in only his second PGA event.
Reeves parred the 17th and 18th holes to finish an opening-round 67, one stroke behind American Cameron Tringale in a pack with compatriots Robert Streb, Chad Ramey and D.J. Trahan, Argentina's Andres Romero and South Africa's Rory Sabbatini.
Tringale, who opened with birdies on his first three holes, searches for his first PGA title in his 245th tour start.
Early Friday players to join a group on 69, four strokes adrift, included Mexico's Ortiz and Australia's Curtis Luck.
Leading scores after Friday's conclusion of the darkness-halted first round of the US PGA Tour at Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi (USA unless noted, par 72):
65 - Cameron Champ
66 - Cameron Tringale
67 - Rory Sabbatini (RSA), D.J. Trahan, Andres Romero (ARG) Chad Ramey, Robert Streb, Seth Reeves
68 - Shawn Stefani, Scott Langley, Jonathan Byrd, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Scottie Scheffler, Matt Every, Robert Garrigus, Lucas Glover, Norman Xiong
69 - Nick Taylor (CAN), Sam Saunders, Richy Werenski, Vaughn Taylor, Kevin Streelman, Sam Burns, Fabin Gmez (ARG), Hudson Swafford, Dawson Armstrong, Nate Lashley, Carlos Ortiz (MEX), Curtis Luck (AUS)