Veterans Rod Pampling and Cameron Percy made just one bogey between them to be the best-placed Australians after the opening day's play at the weather-affected Canadian Open.
Pampling carded a 67, with six birdies and a bogey, while Percy was five under through 16 holes to be in a group tied for ninth.
Robert Garrigus made a birdie after a rock saved his ball from water and had a one-stroke lead after a nine-under 63 when play at the PGA Tour event was suspended because of dangerous weather.
"Hit it right in the middle of the water, and it hit a rock and bounced over the thing," Garrigus said about the break on the par-5 13th.
The American wasn't as fortunate on Nos. 10 and 17 at rain-softened Glen Abbey.
"Could have been 59 there if a couple putts didn't lip out," Garrigus said.
He made five straight birdies, from the second hole, and birdied four of the last six holes - three of them par 5s.
"I think 20-something-under is going to win, so we'll forget about it when I get home," Garrigus said.
"This was a good day, get to enjoy it for a minute, but I've got to close my mind off."
He played in the morning, well before a more than two-hour delay because of high wind and potential lightning strikes.
Play resumed at 6:44pm and was stopped for the day at 8:04pm.
PGA Tour rookie Adam Schenk was second. He birdied the first five and last three for a 64 to be eight under.
"If you were in the fairway, it was much easier to attack, but you could still play from the rough, so I did that too often today but was fortunate to get away with it," Schenk said.
Chris Stroud is alone in third after a 65 while Englishman Ian Poulter and South Korean Byeong Hun An are in a group tied for fourth at six under.
World no.1 Dustin Johnson's 68 has him in a pack which includes Australian Aaron Baddeley, who is four under through 17 holes.
John Senden signed for an even-par 72 while Matt Jones was one over after a 71 which included an eagle three and a double-bogey seven.
Two-time defending champion Jhonattan Vegas was two under through 16 holes.
