Alex Smalley is in a position to win the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial two weeks after the third-round leader at the PGA Championship settled for second place.
Smalley, still seeking his first PGA Tour victory, had one of a bevy of bogey-free five-under 65s on Thursday (Friday AEST) and is one of 12 players a shot behind six first-round leaders.
Lee Hodges, among those who had to sit through a two-hour weather delay during his round, was at 64 along with four other Americans, reigning US Open champion J.J. Spaun, Ryan Gerard, Andrew Putnam, Matt McCarty and South Korea's Tom Kim.
It's the second-most leaders after 18 holes at Colonial behind the eight atop the leaderboard in 2022.
Keegan Bradley, Brian Harman, Jordan Smith, Ricky Castillo and Luke Clanton matched Smalley with five birdies and no bogeys. The other six players at five under included 2019 US Open champion Gary Woodland and eight-time tour winner Billy Horschel.
