Briny Baird opens two shot advantage

Baird, who overcame his lone blemish with a bogey on the eighth hole, is at 9-under-par 63 at Annandale Golf Club. Baird birdied his first hole and added five more on the front nine. He fired three more birdies coming in before a 2 1/2-hour rain delay temporarily halted the round.

Baird finished his round, but play ultimately was suspended due to darkness with 55 golfers still on the course.

Baird is two shots ahead of Cameron Beckman, who birdied four of his final six holes to finish at 7-under.

Defending champion D.J. Trahan carded a bogey-free 6-under 66 to get his title defense off to a strong start. He is in a three-way tie for third with Steve Lowery and David Branshaw.

Last year, Trahan outlasted Joe Durant, winning with a birdie on the third playoff hole for his first PGA Tour victory.

The 26-year-old Trahan has played well at Annandale in the past, carrying a streak of eight consecutive under-par rounds at the course into this year's tournament.

He continued that success Thursday, birdying his first two holes and adding two more at Nos. 5 and 8. Trahan birdied 11 but then cooled off until closing his round with a birdie.

This is the 14th year that Annandale has hosted the Viking Classic. The event originated in 1968 before becoming an official PGA Tour event in 1986.