Aaron Baddeley led the Australian charge at the US PGA Tour’s Frys.com Open in California, finishing the opening round two shots off the lead.
South Korea’s Bae Sang-Moon fired seven birdies with one bogey in a six-under-par 66 to join American Andres Gonzales in the lead of the first event of the tour’s 2014-15 season.
The pair sit one shot ahead of Scotland’s Martin Laird, who had five birdies with no bogeys in his round of five under at the Silverado Resort’s North Course on Thursday.
Baddeley shot seven birdies to join a big group of players at four under including South Africa’s Tyrone Van Aswegen and Sweden’s David Lingmerth.
A trio of Baddeley’s compatriots sit one shot behind him and in pouncing distance with Stuart Appelby, Marc Leishman and Cameron Percy all three under while Victorian Robert Allenby is two under.