South African Ernie Els and British Open champion Ben Curtis were tied for the lead after the first round of the US$5.25 million The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on Thursday.
Curtis recorded a four-under-par 68 without a bogey on his card. World number three Els dropped three strokes but made amends with five birdies and an eagle.
In a logjam for third place on three-under 69 were Paul Azinger, Lee Janzen, Stephen Ames of Trinidad and Tobago, Zach Johnson, Todd Hamilton, 1998 champion Fred Couples, John Rollins and Arron Oberholser.
World number one Tiger Woods returned an even-par 72. World number two Vijay Singh of Fiji had a 73 and tournament host Jack Nicklaus shot a two-over 74 to tie for 64th place.
Els raced to the turn on three-under 33 but his back nine of one-under 35 was inconsistent with four birdies and three bogeys.
"It was quite a ride there at the end," Els told reporters. "I still feel I drove the ball really well today.
Els has not won in the US since early January when he successfully defended the Sony Open. He did, though, triumph at the Heineken Classic in Australia in March.
Curtis was simply glad to be in the field here last year after receiving an invitation from the tournament organizers.
Twelve months on, the American arrived at the Memorial as a player trying to prove that last year's British Open victory at Royal St George's was no fluke.
"I'm here to win and that's what I want to do," Curtis said. "Last year I felt the same way but at the same time my game was struggling a little bit, I was just trying to make the weekend.
Wales Open
Colin Montgomerie signalled what looked to be a turnaround in form with a flawless five-under-par 67 to sit two shots off the lead after the first round of the Welsh Open on Thursday.
The big Scot, whose game has gone slightly downhill since he announced last month he was separating from his wife, even said he was "in danger of becoming competitive again" having completed his first bogey-free round in recent weeks.
David Howell took the lead after carding a 65, one shot ahead of Germany's Marcel Siem and Emanuele Canonica of Italy.
Montgomerie was one of the bigger names in the top rung and he shares his 67 with Scot Steven O'Hara and Frenchman Christian Cevaer, who was fined US$7,366 for slow play during his 67.
The 40-year-old Scot pulled out of an event in China when the announcement was made and finished 128th out of 156 at the German Open a fortnight ago, his worst performance since his first European Tour event in 1988.
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