American Ryan Palmer produced a faultless seven-under-par 64 for the opening-round lead on Thursday, while Tiger Woods was underwhelming in his first PGA Tour round of 2015.
Palmer went bogey-free, holing an eagle and five birdies on day one at TPC Scottsdale, which was suspended due to darkness.
The 38-year-old, whose last win on tour came at the Sony Open in 2010, started on the back nine and had back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to go with his eagle at the 13th in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Palmer then putted consecutive birdies after the turn, with successful putts at the second and third holes.
He is a shot clear of countrymen Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson and Daniel Berger, who was one of 10 players unable to complete their round because of bad light.
Bradley posted seven birdies for his first-round 65, while Watson had five birdies and an eagle in Scottsdale.
Berger, who sank five successive birdies on the back nine, was through 16 holes before his round was cut short.
American trio Zach Johnson, Robert Streb and Ben Martin, and Scotsman Martin Laird are a stroke further back at five under.
Graham DeLaet and Shawn Stefani headline a group of eight players at four under, which includes James Hahn, Angel Cabrera, Justin Leonard, William McGirt, Brendon de Jonge and Michael Thompson.
Meanwhile, 14-time major winner Woods carded a two-over-par 73.
Paired with Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, Woods stumbled with a double-bogey and five bogeys making up his horrendous round.