Chad Campbell made a hot start en route to a four-under-par 67 at the RBC Heritage golf tournament on Thursday, good enough for a share of the first-round lead alongside Vaughn Taylor and Colt Knost.

Australians Greg Chalmers and Marc Leishman were four shots off the lead after even-par opening rounds of 71, while world No.1 Luke Donald struggled to a four-over 75.

Campbell birdied four of his first seven holes on the par-71 Harbour Town Golf Links layout, finishing with six birdies and two bogeys.

Taylor and Knost joined him on top of the leaderboard with solid finishes – Knost nabbing birdies at three of his last five holes and Taylor holing out from the fairway for an eagle at his final hole – the par-four ninth.

US veteran Jim Furyk, the 2010 champion, was a stroke back on 68 along with Harris English, South Korean Charlie Wi and Matt Every.

Three more players – Blake Adams, John Mallinger and Chez Reavie – were tied on 69.

England’s Donald must finish eighth or better to hold on to his No.1 ranking.

Donald teed off on 10 and bogeyed 12 and the par-five 15th.

Another bogey at the first was followed by his only birdie of the day at the par-five second, but he gave back two strokes with a double-bogey six at the sixth.