Rory Sabbatini made an impressive return to action to claim a share of the lead after the first round of the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sabbatini reeled off seven birdies to join Jim Furyk, Bill Haas and Trevor Immelman on four-under-par 68 on the demanding Quail Hollow course.
It was Sabbatini's first outing after a three-week break but most of the big guns also scored well with Phil Mickelson joining Ernie Els and Vijay Singh on 71.
"It feels good to be out here and I'm hoping to build on what I did today," said South African Sabbatini, who bogeyed his final hole. "I was a little rusty but I hung in there and limited my mistakes. It's a tough course and the greens started to firm up."
Justin Rose was two shots off the pace in a tie for eighth with countryman Luke Donald a shot further back.
Lee Westwood returned a disappointing 73, as did Greg Owen, while Graeme McDowell, the sole Irish challenger in the field, and Brian Davis could do no better than 76.
Sabbatini was the leading money winner on the USPGA Tour after the first two months of the season, thanks to a victory at the Nissan Open and a pair of runner-up finishes.
However, he has been off the boil since the tour left the west coast, making headlines only for a run-in with Nick Faldo at The Players Championship.
Sabbatini, one of the quickest players on tour, was incensed by the Englishman's slow play so much that his wife publicly protested by donning a T-shirt that read "Keep Up".
That followed an incident in Washington last year when Sabbatini was similarly upset with Ben Crane's pace and putted out at the 71st hole before his partner had even reached the green.
Furyk, who lost a play-off to Singh last year, also bogeyed the par-four ninth.
Haas, meanwhile, is enjoying a family affair this week, with brother Jay jnr and father Jay also in the field.
Despite his golfing genes and high public expectations, 23-year-old Haas has not exactly taken the tour by storm in his rookie season, a tie for 15th at New Orleans last week his best result of the year.
"I'm not that disappointed with the way my career has gone," Haas said. "Obviously you have ambitions, but everything I've done as a professional has been gradual progress so far. I want to improve and I'm working harder than I ever have."
