Akshay Bhatia shot a nine-under-par 63 to open up a three-shot lead after the first round of the Texas Open.
Fellow Americans Brendon Todd and Justin Lower are tied for second at the Tournament Players Club in San Antonio.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is six shots off the lead after a bogey-free 69 in his final tournament before The Masters next week.
“My game over the last few months has been quite volatile, so [I am] pretty happy to play a solid round,” he said.
World number two McIlroy made three birdies, including a 13ft putt on the par-five eighth, in blustery conditions.
The four-time major champion has been working with Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon to make minor adjustments to his game.
“He gave me a tiny little something that I went with. It’s felt a little better over the last two weeks and felt pretty good out there,” McIlroy told PGA Tour.com., external
“What I’ve been trying to do the last couple weeks is no different than what I’ve been trying to do previously. He just sort of gave me a different way to do it.”
Scotland’s Martin Laird and Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are eight shots off the lead on one under.
