Matthew NeSmith and Mark Hubbard earned a share of the lead following the opening round of the Phoenix Open.

American pair NeSmith and Hubbard both posted 63s to end Thursday a shot clear of countrymen Nate Lashley and Sam Burns at TPC Scottsdale.

Making his first start at the Phoenix Open, NeSmith holed four birdies and an eagle from his opening nine holes to earn an early lead at six under.

NeSmith closed out the round atop the leaderboard with Hubbard, who was flawless after tallying eight birdies, including his final four holes.

Steve Stricker is outright fifth following his six-under-par 65 in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Xander Schauffele is among six players five under through 18 holes.

Stricker joined Tom Lehman (2011, round one, aged 51) as the only players over the age of 50 to shoot 65 in the PGA Tour event.

Former world number one Jordan Spieth is four strokes off the pace following his first-round 67.

Struggling American star Spieth, who has not won since 2017, missed the cut at last week's Farmers Insurance Open.

Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka is a shot further back after mixing seven birdies with a double-bogey and two bogeys.

Koepka won the tournament in 2015 – his first PGA Tour triumph.

As for Rory McIlroy, he is seven shots behind NeSmith and Hubbard heading into Friday's second round.

Without a victory since the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions, four-time major winner McIlroy recovered from a double-bogey, bogey start to open with a one-under-par 70 in his tournament bow.

Meanwhile, Webb Simpson started his title defence with a two-over-par 73 – a shot better off than 219 winner Rickie Fowler.

Viktor Hovland finished strongly to claim a one-stroke advantage at the halfway stage of the Farmers Insurance Open, where Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth missed the cut.

Hovland birdied his final hole in Friday's second round to card a seven-under-par 65 and top the leaderboard heading into the weekend at Torrey Pines.

Battling rain, hail and wind – which halted proceedings in the second round – Norwegian golfer Hovland managed to rise 47 positions to lead a star-studded field thanks to eight birdies and just one bogey on the South Course.

The 23-year-old – winner of the Puerto Rico Open and Mayakoba Golf Classic on the PGA Tour last year – is nine under through 36 holes, ahead of 2017 champion Jon Rahm (67), Adam Scott (69), Tony Finau (67), Lanto Griffin (70), Ryan Palmer (70) and Patrick Reed (72).

Alex Noren (74), who was tied for the overnight lead alongside Reed, fell into a share of 11th, three shots off the pace.

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy is a stroke further back following his one-under-par 71 on the North Course.

McIlroy mixed four birdies with three bogeys to be tied for 14th position along with Will Zalatoris (71), Jason Kokrak (69), Adam Hadwin (70), Rory Sabbatini (67), two-time winner Brandt Snedeker (70) and Max Homa (68).

Defending champion Marc Leishman posted a second-round 70 to be three under overall, two strokes better off than rallying veteran Phil Mickelson (72).

Mickelson was on the cusp of missing the cut during the rain delay, but the five-time major champion holed back-to-back birdies to qualify for the weekend.

Former world number one Spieth (75) missed the cut as his bid to win for the first time since 2017 continues.

Koepka's 76 saw the four-time major winner also miss the cut, along with two-time Farmers Insurance Open champion Jason Day (72).

Patrick Reed and Alex Noren carded eight-under 64s to share the lead after the opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open.

Reed, who missed the cut at last week's The American Express, produced a bogey-free first round on the North Course at Torrey Pines on Thursday.

The American made three straight birdies after starting his round at the 10th and had another run of three straight on his back nine, tying the second-lowest first-round score of his PGA Tour career.

Reed shares a one-stroke lead with Noren, the 2018 runner-up who also fired a 64 on the North Course.

A former top-10 player, Noren has dropped to 96th in the rankings after going winless since 2018.

Scottie Scheffler is outright third after his 65, while 12 players opened with 66s – with only Peter Malnati and Ryan Palmer, who was runner-up alongside Noren three years ago, playing the South Course of that group.

K.J. Choi, 50, is also among that group after a bogey-free round that featured six birdies, as the two-time runner-up – whose last win was in 2012 – surprised.

Beau Hossler, Talor Gooch, Luke List, Sam Burns, Gary Woodland, Lanto Griffin, Rhein Gibson, Cameron Smith and Brandon Hagy are also tied for fourth.

Rory McIlroy made a solid start with a four-under 68 on the South Course, while 2017 winner Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth opened with 69s.

Brooks Koepka is in a tie for 88th after an even-par 72, while two-time champion Jason Day endured a tough opening round, mixing a double bogey with six bogeys and four birdies to shoot a 76.

Richy Werenski, meanwhile, carded a 69 that included a hole-in-one at the third hole on the South Course, having also managed an ace in the final round of last year's event.