Tiger Woods made a level-par return to competitive action at the Farmers Insurance Open, while Seamus Power and Shane Lowry are four shots adrift of leader Tony Finau after the opening round at Torrey Pines.
The 14-time major winner hit the opening round's halfway point one over par but recovered that shot on the back nine in a steady comeback.
Lowry recently moved his family Stateside to lessen the travelling burden and clearly enjoyed his first competitive round of the year on his way to a 69.
Paired with Bryson DeChambeau and South Korea’s K.J. Choi, the Offaly man had a solid front nine, level par at the turn. A bogey at 10 was followed by birdies at 11, 12, 14 and 17 to join a cluster of players on three-under, including compatriot Power.
The 30-year-old began the round on the back nine and dropped shots in two of the opening three holes before making the turn at one-under-par. Three further birdies followed, with the only onther blemish a dropped shot at the par-four fifth hole after finding sand from the tee.
Three-time Major Harrington will begin his second round on level par after an up-and-down round on the par fives. The three-time major winner carded two bogeys, two birdies and a par on the challenging course.
Woods for his part endured a frustrating start, suffering a bogey on the opening hole at Torrey Pines after missing a tricky putt to save par.
He dropped another shot at the par-four fifth but birdied the next hole and picked up another two gains either side of a bogey after the turn.
The 42-year-old closed his round holding a share of 83rd place, seven shots adrift of clubhouse leader Finau.
Woods has won eight times at Torrey Pines, including his last major in the 2008 US Open, but missed the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open this time last year.
He withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic the following week and remained sidelined for the rest of 2017 as he recovered from spinal fusion surgery.
Woods secured a tie for ninth place in December's 18-man Hero World Challenge, and has been rated 22/1 to land his first tour victory since 2013.
