Berganio leads by two

David Berganio, Jr. fired an opening-round six-under 66 on Thursday to take a two-shot lead in the Buy.com Tour South Carolina Classic. Jeffrey Lankford and Tommy Biershenk each carded 68s and are tied for second at four-under.

Donnie Hammond, the winner of this season's Lakeland Classic, recorded a 69 to finish round one tied with eight others at minus- three.

Berganio, twice a winner on the Buy.com Tour, made his way around the Country Club of South Carolina without making a bogey on Thursday. After opening with a birdie on the 10th hole, Berganio reeled off five straight birdies from the 17th through the third to match the longest birdie streak on the Tour in 2000.

"I wasn't even thinking about it," said the 31-year-old Berganio. "I was thinking about each shot. My caddie didn't even realize we had made five straight until I gave him back the scorecard."

Berganio matched his career-low round of 64 in the opening round of the 1999 Permian Basin Open, an event he would go on to win.

Berganio's best finish so far in 2000 was a tie for sixth at last month's Monterrey Open. His first victory came at Monterrey in 1996.

As full-time member of the PGA Tour in 1997, Berganio recorded his only top-10 finish on the big tour when he tied for ninth in that season's Buick Challenge. He made the cut in four of the five PGA Tour events he played in last season, with his best showing coming at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst where he tied for 28th.

Shreveport Open champion Kent Jones is among eight players at two-under.

Defending champion Kevin Johnson struggled to a three-over 75.

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