Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, American Chad Campbell and Shigeki Maruyama of Japan all shot six-under-par 66s to share the lead after the first round of the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando.
The trio are one shot clear of Tiger Woods, seeking to become the first ever player to win the same PGA Tour event for five successive years, who took advantage of benign morning conditions to card a 67.
Clarke admitted he was not firing on all cylinders but was delighted his short game held up as he avoided any bogeys. "I was able to grind it out again," Clarke said. "That's another part of my game I've been trying to work on. I always try to hit good shots, but sometimes it doesn't happen."
Woods is tied for fourth with Aussie Stuart Appleby and Americans Jerry Kelly and Zack Johnson. "Today was a day to post a good number, with some of the accessible pins they have," Woods said. "I hit some really good shots, drove it well and controlled my irons going into the greens.
"The sport has been played professionally for over 100 years and it would be one heck of an accomplishment to do something no one's ever done before."
World number two Vijay Singh of Fiji shot a 68 to finish alongside John Daly, Scott Verplank, Brian Gay, Brad Faxon, Todd Fischer and Australians Aaron Baddeley and Adam Scott.
Daly was delighted, despite a breach of etiquette as he drove into the group in front at the dogleg par-four 15th. He got off to a sizzling start, going three under after three holes and four under after six but a bogey at the par-four ninth stemmed his momentum.