Four players were tied on six under par after the earlier starters had completed their first rounds at the Atlanta Classic.

Americans Jonathan Kaye, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Byrd and Parker McLachlin all fired rounds of 66 in cloudy conditions at the TPC Sugarloaf.

With few non-Americans in this tournament, the best of the early finishing foreign players was Colombian Camilo Villegas who was two off the lead with a four under 68.

Last year American Zach Johnson beat Japan's Ryuji Imada in a sudden-death play-off to win the title. Both players were in the latter pack.