Australian Rod Pampling fired a five-under-par 67 to establish a one-shot lead after the first round of the PGA Tour's Legends Reno-Tahoe Open in Nevada.
The 39-year-old leads the way by one from a group of seven which includes two-time tournament winner Vaughn Taylor of the United States.
Pampling's compatriot Marc Leishman, New Zealander Grant Waite and Americans Jonathan Kaye, Rich Barcelo, Steve Pate and Spencer Levin also shot 68s at the Montreux Golf and Country Club, where windy conditions had severely hampered the early starters.
The 2003 US PGA champion Shaun Micheel - whose major win remains his only victory on the circuit in more than 300 starts - birdied three of the final five to sign for a 69.
Former US Amateur champion Jeff Quinney, seeking his first win, was five-under with two to play, but dropped a shot at each of them and also had to settle for a 69.
Reflecting on his late slip-up, Quinney said: "You hate to bogey a last hole, let alone a par-five downwind."
"I hit a horrible tee shot that got knocked down by the tree and basically had to lay up twice."
"It felt like the wind was swirling a little bit. The greens are firm and fast and it's just an ultimate test."
Australian pair James Nitties and Steve Elkington and Americans Robert Garrigus, Paul Azinger, Ryan Palmer, Parker McLachlin and Jonathan Byrd also finished three-under.
Byrd, starting on the back nine, had been six-under but bogeyed three of his last four holes to slip back into the pack.
With all the stars at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, this tournament is a chance for one of the lesser lights to shine - and strike it rich with a first prize of US$540,000.
There is also a place in next week's US PGA up for grabs, although as a past champion Micheel is among those already sure of his spot.
Micheel revealed that he has concerns over his mother's health at the moment.
"She's very sick and I have a lot of things on my mind really that don't even pertain to golf," he said.
"Sometimes I get out there I don't want to be there. But she wants me to play, so I'm doing my best to do that."