HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Jeff Quinney and Zoran Zorkic grabbed the early lead at the $500,000 Legend Financial Group Classic presented by Cynergies Solutions, firing matching 5-under-par 66s at the 23rd tournament of the season on the Nationwide Tour.

Quinney got off to a slow start -- perhaps the result of taking a two-week break following his tie for sixth-place finish at the Xerox Classic -- with two bogeys on his first four holes. He quickly settled down settled down by playing the final 14 holes in six-under-par with four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole.

“I didn’t feel like I was sharp,” said Quinney, who hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation. “Mentally I was asleep.”

Despite the two-week absence from the Tour leading to a slow start, Quinney also credits the absence for his strong comeback Thursday at the 7,060-yard, par-71 StoneWater Golf Club.

“I’m one of those guys who need a break,” said Quinney, who passed the time with a 10-day hiatus from touching a golf club and a trip to a Dave Matthews Band concert. “It was hard to find the groove but I settled down and had a really good back nine.”

The top of the leaderboard is familiar territory for the 2000 U.S. Amateur Champion. The opening-round lead represents the sixth time this season he has shared at least a share of the lead at the end of a round. Despite that fact, he has yet to add another title to the one he claimed at the 2004 Oregon Classic.

“I definitely feel more comfortable the more I get up there,” said Quinney, currently No. 6 on the money list with $230,584. “I also feel more comfortable because of my position on the money list. I’m just trying to get as high as I can on that money list.”

Zoran Zorkic had seven birdies on Thursday. (Levin/W

Zorkic played in the afternoon and made his way to the top of the leaderboard despite a wayward driver.

“Luckily I hit a lot of close iron shots,” said Zorkic, winner of the 2002 SAS Carolina Classic. “I also putted good which was nice. The greens are very tough and extremely fast. Compared to Wednesday, they’ve got to be rolling five feet faster.”

Brenden Pappas, Gavin Coles and Cameron Beckman shot 4-under 67 to sit one shot behind the leaders

Pappas began the day on the back nine and immediately made three straight birdies on Nos. 10-12, with the highlight coming on the par-4 12th hole when he drained a 55-foot birdie putt. The South African also birdied No. 18 to make the turn at 4-under 32. He added a bogey at the par-3 third hole -- his only mistake of the day -- and a birdie at the par-5 fourth hole to come home with an even-par 35.

“I got it backwards today,” said Pappas, who hit 12 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation. “The first nine is where you make birdies. It is two or three times easier, but the wind was shifting and it changed a lot of clubs.”

Pappas is looking to join Johnson Wagner and Tripp Isenhour in the two-win club, having notched his first career victory earlier this year at The Rex Hospital Open. He is seeking to move another win closer to the PGA TOUR and jump from his current 14th place ranking on the money list.

“You know you have to play good golf the weeks you tee it up each week,” said Pappas, who has played his share of stellar golf this season with four top-10 finishes and $180,157 in earnings “The money list will take care of itself if I stay focused on what I’m supposed to do.”

A victory in Cleveland would also be significant for Pappas because his older brother, Deane, won the 2000 Cleveland Open when it was played at Quail Hollow Country Club. They are the only set of brothers to win on the Nationwide Tour.

First Round News & Notes: Cameron Beckman (67) managed the only bogey-free round on Thursday...The first-round scoring average was nearly two strokes over par at 72.987...Defending champion Andrew Johnson started the tournament strong with a 68...In 22 tournaments so far in 2006, Tripp Isenhour (Movistar Panama Championship and the Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship) and Doug LaBelle II (Price Cutter Charity Championship ) are the only players to carry the 18-hole lead on to victory...Guy Boros withdrew prior to the start of the first round and was replaced by Steve Runge.