John Senden rode a late birdie blitz while Steven Bowditch hitched onto a bogey train but both Australians sit well poised midway through the opening round of the US PGA tours first playoff event.
The pair fired three-under par rounds of 68 to be just two shots back of the early lead while defending champion Adam Scott is also well poised after an opening 69.
American trio Hunter Mahan, Cameron Tringale and Charles Howell III sit on top of the leaderboard after signing for five under rounds of 66.
Bowditch was flying early and held the outright lead a few times before bogeys on his final two holes dropped him back into the pack.
A winner in Texas earlier this year Bowditch came off the course a little steamed given his bogeys came from missing par putts on his final two holes from just two feet.
The short misses were the only blemishes in an otherwise quality round, but dropped him from first place to a tie for sixth.
Senden joined him in sixth but with completely different momentum.
Battling away at one-over through 14 holes and six shots off the lead pace the Queenslander found his groove.
Birdies on 15, 16, 17 and 18 shot the 43-year-old up the boards and right into contention for his second win of the year after his triumph in Tampa in March.
“I wasn’t hitting it really close early in the round and was battling away but I made a great par save on 12 and then played really well,” Senden said.
“I knew there would be some opportunities coming home and I was lucky enough to take some chances.”
For Scott, the defending Barclays champion, his trip around Ridgewood Country Club was a little more of a rollercoaster.
Through 10 holes the world No.2 was looking primed at three-under with four birdies and a bogey but he mixed two more bogeys into his final eight holes with just one more birdie to middle out at two-under.
While still not at his crisp best Scott was pleased to see his swing back in its groove after a few wayward weeks.
“I played good today, it was nice and I am happy where everything is at,” Scott said.
“Everything felt good, the golf swing is back in a better place after the PGA Championship so I am happy with that.
“I hope to get really sharp over the next few days.”
Jason Day (+1), Stuart Appleby (+2) and Marc Leishman (+4) struggled to over par rounds while Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy, Matt Jones and Robert Allenby are part of the afternoon wave.
World No.1 Rory McIlroy, gunning for a fourth consecutive win, failed to keep his hot streak alive with a three-over 74.
“I just wasn’t very good. I think it’s more to do with just not putting the adequate time into my game over the past week for obvious reasons,” the four-time major winner said.
