Australia's Nick O'Hern shot eight birdies on his back nine to post an opening-round 63 at Grayhawk Golf Club and gain a narrow lead at the Frys.com Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.

O'Hern's nine-birdie, two-bogey round gave him a one-stroke advantage at seven under par, with Americans Heath Slocum, The Barclays champion seven weeks ago, and Bob Heintz at six under following 64s around the par-70 Raptor Course.

"Nothing was really happening," O'Hern said. "I was hitting the ball pretty good, but just not making anything.

"I think I just got on a roll. I birdied 10 and 11 with short birdie puttsm holed about a 60-, 70-footer on 12 and things just kind of went from there.

"Six birdies in a row and I thought, 'Oh, here we go. Let's see if we can do nine in a row'.

"Then I knocked it in the water on 16... the one hole I didn't birdie. Sort of pegged me back on that.

"But I finished well with a couple more birdies."

American DA Points made the early running with a six-birdie, one-bogey 65 to lead after the morning wave of starters in the desert and he was tied for fourth place at the close of play alongside compatriot Ricky Fowler, South Africa's Rory Sabbatini and England's Greg Owen, who went bogey-free and was 100% in reaching greens in regulation.

A large group of players were breathing down the leaders' necks on four under, including former Masters champion Mike Weir, while Scotland's Martin Laird, having won his maiden PGA Tour event in Las Vegas last week, carded a 67 to move into a tie for 23rd with, amongst others, Germany's Alex Cejka.

Englishman Brian Davis also shot a level-par 70 as did defending champion Cameron Beckman of the United States.