Young Australian golfer Cameron Smith is showing promising form at a good time in the US PGA Tour season.
Smith shot a seven-under-par 63 to be two shots behind American leader Matt Every after the first round of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro on Thursday.
Tuning up for the rich four-tournament Fed Ex Cup playoff series which wrap up the season, Smith -- starting on the 10th hole -- went bogey-free, with three birdies on his first nine and four more coming in at Sedgefield Country Club.
He is one shot behind second-placed Swedish star Henrik Stenson and tied third with the likes of Americans Vaughn Taylor and Webb Simpson and New Zealander Tim Wilkinson.
A tournament winner at the Zurich Classic, the two-man teams event in New Orleans in April, 23-year-old Smith is comfortably-placed at 45th in the season points standings.
However, another big result would go a long way to ensuring he goes deep into the $US35 million ($A45 million) playoffs series.
The top 125 start the playoffs at the Northern Trust tournament in New York from August 24-27 with the field reducing each event and concluding at the Tour Championship in Atlanta from September 21-24.
Of the other Australians in the field, Steve Bowditch produced a rare sub-par round nearing the end of a horror season, shooting 68 to be tied 58th alongside countrymen Stuart Appleby and Brett Drewitt.
Aaron Baddeley was a shot further behind on 69 and Geoff Ogilvy had an even par 70, Greg Chalmers signed for a 71 while Matt Jones carded 72, Cameron Percy a 75 and youngster Ryan Ruffels was last after a 77.
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