South Africa’s Branden Grace was five strokes behind round one leader Bud Cauley after the opening 18 holes at the RBC Heritage.
Grace signed for a -3 68 at Harbour Town on Thursday, a steady start in his return to the venue where he won his maiden PGA Tour title last year.
The 28-year-old was -2 after five with birdies at both the par 5s on the front nine but a bogey at 6 halted his progress. He would get back to -2 for the day when he made 3 on 11 but a bogey on bogey 5 on 13 slowed him down once more.
Grace responded sharply with a birdie on the par 3 14th and another one a hole later to move him into a share of 19th place after round one.
Countrymen Ernie Els and Tyrone van Aswegen both settled for an opening 70.
Bud Cauley took advantage of the pristine, windless conditions at Harbour Town with birdies on four of his final five holes for an 8-under 63 and a two-shot lead over the likes of Luke Donald, Graham DeLaet and Sam Saunders, the grandson of the late Arnold Palmer.
