America's Patrick Reed made a remarkable start to his WGC-Cadillac Championship defence when play got underway at Trump National Doral.
Reed, who won with a four under par total 12 months ago, was three under through three holes of his first round as he tamed the Blue Monster with an opening hat-trick of birdies, the last of which came from 30 feet at the 12th.
The 24 year old Ryder Cup star then holed a 20 footer on the 15th to go to four under and join compatriots JB Holmes and Ryan Moore in a share of the lead.
Alex Levy and Henrik Stenson were leading the European challenge in the group a shot further back on three under.
Like Reed, former Race to Dubai winner Stenson started on the back nine and pitched to two feet at the tenth, struck his approach to six feet at the 11th and left himself a tap-in at the 14th.
He and Levy were joined by Bubba Watson, with Swede Alex Noren and Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Brooks Koepka among those on two under - the latter having chipped in for an unlikely birdie from an island of rough in the middle of a bunker at the 14th.
World Number One Rory McIlroy bogeyed the 11th after his approach found the front bunker and remained one over through seven.
