Golf-Stuard leads rain-affected OHL Classic in Mexico

Nov 14 (Reuters) - Unheralded American Brian Stuard held a one-shot lead midway through a rain-interrupted first round of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico, as he looks to go one better than his career best finish in Playa del Carmen. Stuard, who was tied for second in the 2010 event at El Camaleon Golf Club for his best result on the PGA tour, was five-under-par through 15 holes on Thursday before play was halted due to heavy rain. With play suspended for two hours and twenty minutes early in the day and then again in the early afternoon, only 15 players in the 132-man field completed the first round with 57 players still to begin play. The 30-year-old Stuard notched up six birdies on the Greg Norman designed layout with just one bogey to lead double heart-transplant recipient Erik Compton and Spain's Alvaro Quiros by one shot. Compton had played 17 holes and Quiros was through 15. Australia's Matt Jones and Americans Will MacKenzie and Len Mattiace were the best of the few players to have finished their rounds, carding two-under 69s to be tied for eighth. Americans Josh Teater (17 holes), Harris English (17 holes), Jeff Maggert (15 holes) and Jamie Lovemark (12 holes) were tied for fourth at three-under-par. Defending champion John Huh and Robert Allenby, the man he beat in an eight-hole playoff last year, were among the players who had not started their rounds. (Reporting by Ben Everill in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)