Warren leads S.C. contingent | The State

Leave it to a veteran to head up the South Carolina contingent in Wednesday's first round of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Columbia native and former Clemson All-American Charles Warren, a PGA Tour regular the past five seasons, fired a 1-over-par 73 at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., sharing low-S.C. honors with Charleston resident and Australian native Bronson La'Cassie and another former Clemson player, Greenville's Brian Duncan.

The three are among those tied for 35th after 18 holes of the 108-hole, six-day marathon, which ends Monday with the the top 25 and ties earning PGA Tour exemptions for 2010.

Warren, La'Cassie and Duncan were the best among 15 players with S.C. ties, and they were six shots behind first-round leader Troy Merritt, who shot 5-under.

At 2-over-par 74 (T-55th) are former Clemson player Brent Delahoussaye of Greenville and Aiken native Kevin Kisner. Bishopville's Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey is at 3-over 75 (T-75th) along with Greenwood's Emmett Turner, former Clemson player Stephen Poole and former USC player Mark Anderson.

- Scores in Scoreboard, C7

- Bob Gillespie