World Number One Luke Donald produced his best opening round of the year on the US PGA Tour with a 66 at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.
Donald's five under par score earned him a share of second spot alongside Masters Tournament champion Charl Schwartzel, South Korea's Y E Yang and American Jerry Kelly - the quartet trailing Troy Matteson by one shot after his sparkling 65.
The Englishman was thrilled with his start as he looked to boost his FedEx Cup points position, with the prospect of winning that and The Race to Dubai still very much on the cards.
He said: "Sometimes I've not played that great in the first round and I've been playing catch-up so it's nice to post five under. I'm in a great position.
"The last month or so I haven't short-gamed it well enough - I haven't made those putts when I needed to. Today I did. That was really the difference between five under and maybe two under and being back in the pack.
"It's nice to see the putter warming up a little bit.
"There's a little bit more urgency to do well and win because it is the play-offs and with the points being so much more there's a lot of value in winning.
"Winning goes a long way - it'll set you up great for the Tour Championship and that's always the goal this week."
Matteson started on the tenth and made a stuttering start with a bogey five, but that was to be his only dropped shot as seven birdies secured him the outright clubhouse lead after the first round.
Yang and South African Schwartzel picked up six birdies apiece, their only blemishes coming at the par-four fifth, while the highlight of Kelly's round came with an eagle on the par five 18th having started on the back nine.
Australia's Jason Day was among a cluster of players two shots off the pace after signing for a 67.
Schwartzel was not the only reigning Major Champion in contention, with US PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley carding a 68.
Northern Ireland's former US Open Champion Graeme McDowell had an up and down day, three bogeys and three birdies leaving him level par.
