Hilton Head Island, SC – First-round play in the eGolf Professional Tour's season-opening Palmetto Hall Championship was suspended due to darkness at 5:55 PM on Wednesday, with 95 players still left to finish their rounds at both the Robert Cupp and Arthur Hills courses at Palmetto Hall Plantation. A one-hour frost delay greeted the 201-player field in the morning and left the afternoon round incomplete. Players who didn't finish their opening rounds will resume play at 9:00 AM on Thursday morning.

Alex Hamilton of Aiken, SC and Tim Hegarty of Briarcliff Manor, NY are the un-official co-leaders after opening with rounds of 5-under 67, both of which were carded on the Cupp course.

Hamilton, a past winner on the eGolf Tour and former South Carolina Amateur champion, secured conditional Nationwide Tour status at Q-School last fall, but took an extended period of time off this past winter due to Mother Nature.

"I've been watching it snow and have not played a competitive round since finals (of Q-School)," said Hamilton, who finished T116 at Q-School and thus was given a low status number on the Nationwide Tour. "I started trying to work on my game at the start of the year, but the weather has been horrible."

Hamilton's status number likely means that he will not earn a spot in any Nationwide Tour events until mid-May, and he will in turn play the eGolf Tour between now and then in order to stay sharp.

"It's nice to have status, but out here, that means nothing," said Hamilton. "All that matters is how you play."

An unusual bout of winter weather left much of the South looking to the television for their golf as opposed to the golf course. For Hamilton, the biggest surprise following the time off was likely his short game, which shined on day one.

"I managed to keep it in front of me all day and I chipped it very well," said the former South Carolina Gamecock. "The short game really kept me in it today."

Indeed it did. Starting on the 10th hole of the Cupp Course, Hamilton birdied his first hole and would later add two more at Nos. 14 and 15 to turn at 3-under 33. Seven pars greeted him on the front nine before two timely birdies at Nos. 8 and 9 allowed him to close in style with a 2-under 34.

Tim HegartyHamilton credited his much-improved short game to instructor Pat O'Brien, who teaches out of Lakewood Country Club in Dallas, TX. After hearing of his work with a few local peers, as well as PGA TOUR stars Zach Johnson and Vaughn Taylor, Hamilton flew to the Lone Star State in order to pick up on a few secrets. Clearly, they are paying dividends.

"I'm just trying to play the best I can. It's tough when you can't play for four or five days leading into the week, but I'll keep trying."

For Hegarty, an opening-round 67 amidst frigid temperatures was a good sign for the laid-back New Yorker. Seven starts in the 2009 season yielded only three made cuts and $4,817 in earnings, so finding his name atop a stacked field of 201 players is a better-than-expected start to the 2010 season.

Hegarty actually found himself at 1-over through four holes on Wednesday before rallying with birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 9 before recording yet another trifecta at Nos. 13-15.

Former PGA TOUR player Matt Hendrix, Edward Loar, and Matt Cannon are tied for second with rounds of 3-under 69.

Cannon, the tour's all-time leading money winner, is back to playing full time after taking 2009 off to pursue other avenues and spend more time with his family.

Round one play will resume at 9:00 AM on Thursday morning. Players should be prepared to leave the cart staging area at 8:45 AM with ball in air at 9:00 AM. Second-round play will begin at 10:00 AM, thus putting both the morning and afternoon waves on a TWO-hour delay. Players should adjust accordingly and check the website for any updates.