Jeff Overton fired a seven-under-par 64 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Frys.com Open, the first event of the US PGA Tour's new "wrap around" 2013-14 season.
Australian Robert Allenby was well placed four shots off the pace after shooting a four-under 67.
Overton eagled the par-5 ninth hole at CordeValle Golf Club and added five more birdies to take a one-stroke lead over fellow American Brian Harman.
Harman had eight birdies and two bogeys in his six-under 65.
Kyle Stanley finished in third after a five-under 66 highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 15th.
Michael Putnam, who won the money title on the Web.com developmental tour to regain his PGA Tour card, was among a group of six on 67 alongside South Korea's Charlie Wi and JJ Henry.
On a jammed leaderboard, Allenby was tied for 10th with Americans, George McNeill, Alex Aragon, John Peterson, Johnson Wagner, Scott Brown, Justin Hicks and Lee Williams, and Colombian Camilo Villegas.
Fellow Australians Marc Leishman and John Senden were well back after two-over-par opening rounds of 73, ahead of Aaron Baddeley and Stuart Appleby on 74, Steven Bowditch and Scott Gardiner on 75, and Geoff Ogilvy on 76.
Overton, who has been working on a new grip in a bid to ease tendinitis in his wrist, said the move was paying dividends.
"My wrist has been bothering me," he said. "I've had a little tendinitis in it for a few years and (the new grip) allows my wrist to get a little more square at the top of my backswing without having to tweak it a little bit."
Overton parred his first seven holes before a birdie at eight, followed by his eagle at the ninth - where he hit his 250-yard second shot 21 feet from the pin and made the putt.
Birdies at 12 and 13 were followed with another brace at 17 and 18.
"It would be great if we can continue this thing and keep it rolling," Overton said.
The $US5 million ($A5.3 million) tournament was previously part of the US PGA Tour's late season series that in recent years gave rank-and-file pros a chance to earn prizemoney toward keeping their tour cards as bigger names took a break after the FedEx Cup playoffs.
This year, the Frys.com Open marks the start of the 2013-14 season and, like all six events to be played before January, will offer FedEx Cup playoff points and a coveted Masters berth to the winner.
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