Australian Peter Lonard, fuelled by four consecutive birdies, soared into a tie for the lead in the first round of the Buick Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.
The 38-year-old fired a five-under-par 65 in soft, humid conditions at the TPC at River Highlands to set the pace with Americans Scott Verplank, Heath Slocum and Harrison Frazar.
Corey Pavin, winner of the 1995 US Open, opened with a flawless 66 to lie joint fifth with fellow Americans Darron Stiles, Todd Fischer and Ron Whittaker, Colombia's Camilo Villegas and Carl Pettersson of Sweden.
