Sea Island, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Brian Harman and Erik Compton opened with 5-under 65s on Thursday and they share the lead after the opening round of The McGladrey Classic.
The two former University of Georgia golfers were joined atop a crowded leaderboard by Michael Thompson, who set the 54-hole record at this event in 2011, and Will Mackenzie.
Chesson Hadley, who won in Puerto Rico last season, carded a 4-under 66. He was joined in fifth place by Andrew Svoboda, Jason Kokrak, Jim Renner, Patton Kizzire, Shawn Stefani, John Peterson and Sung Joon Park.
Two more Georgia products, Matt Kuchar and Brendon Todd, headline a group of 16 players that are two strokes off the lead at 3-under 67. They stand alongside 2011 runner-up Webb Simpson, Martin Flores, Ken Duke, Ryan Armour, Aaron Baddeley, Steve Wheatcroft, Eric Axley, Kevin Chappell, Camilo Villegas, Rory Sabbatini, Mark Wilson, 2012 champion Tommy Gainey, Scott Piercy and Fabian Gomez.
Harman played the back nine first on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Resort and he opened with four pars in a row. After stumbling to a bogey at the par-4 14th, Harman followed with birdies at 15 and 16.
The lefthander parred four in a row from the 17th. He rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at the third and followed with a 22-foot birdie effort on No. 4.
After a pair of pars, Harman birdied the par-5 seventh and made it two in a row as he poured in a 20-footer for birdie at the eighth. He parred the ninth to post 65.
"I was nervous starting out. It's been a while since I played a golf tournament. I was quite ready to go for the first two tournaments, and I wasn't quite sure how things were going to go," said Harman, who last played at the third FedExCup playoff event, the BMW Championship. "It was windy and cold this morning. I finally started getting comfortable and played better toward the end. I finished very nice."
Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient, got off to a quick start with birdies at one and two. He parred the next six holes before moving to minus-3 thanks to a 10-foot birdie putt on the ninth.
Around the turn, Compton made a 5-foot birdie effort at the 11th. He missed the green with his approach at the 14th and that led to a bogey. Compton bounced right back with birdies at 15 and 16 to gain a share of the lead. He ended there with pars on the final two holes.
"It was nice to get off to a good start. It was a little chilly this morning, so I shortened my warmup and wrapped myself in a bunch of clothes," said Compton. "The greens are really quick. If you're playing well, there are some scores out there."
Thompson, who tied for second at the 2012 U.S. Open, had birdies at the fourth and eighth to go with seven pars on the front nine. He moved to 5-under with birdies at 10, 11 and 14. However, he stumbled to a bogey on the par-5 15th. Thompson atoned for that mistake with a birdie on the 16th, and he closed with a pair of pars.
Mackenzie, the only leader that played in the afternoon wave, birdied the 11th and 15th, but gave those shots back as he faltered to a double-bogey on the par-4 16th.
The two-time PGA Tour winner birdied the 18th to make the turn at minus-1. He followed with birdies at the first and second to get within two of the lead. After four pars in a row, Mackenzie birdied the seventh and ninth to gain a share of the lead.
NOTES: Harman matched his career low round at Sea Island ... Compton has made the cut in the first two events of the 2014-15 season, but finished outside the top 25 both times ... Thompson is making his third start at this event, and all nine of his rounds have been in the 60s. He finished third in 2011 and tied for 10th in 2012 ... Mackenzie has missed the cut in two of his previous three starts at this tournament ... Defending champion Chris Kirk shot 2-under 68, which left him tied for 29th ... Kirk and Mark Wilson had the only two bogey-free rounds on Thursday ... Tournament host Davis Love III opened with a 1-over 71 and is tied for 78th ... Mark Anderson had the first hole-in-one in tournament history as he aced the par-3 third.
