US PGA Tour veteran Bob Estes rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on his final hole to share the first-round lead with fellow American Tommy Armour III in the Ginn sur Mer Classic at Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Despite breezy conditions at Tesoro Club's Palmer Course, Estes and Armour fired matching nine-under-par 64s to take early control in the 2007 Tour's penultimate event.

Estes swept to the top of the leaderboard with a scorching homeward nine of seven-under 30 before being joined by Armour shortly before play was suspended for the day in fading light.

Armour birdied four of the last five holes, sinking an 11-footer on the 18th green, to move into contention for his third US PGA Tour title.

Of the 22 players yet to complete the opening round on a soggy day at Tesoro, American Bryce Molder was four off the pace with three holes remaining.

Estes, hunting his fifth title on the world's most lucrative circuit, picked up shots at the 11th and 16th to reach the turn in two-under 34.

The 41-year-old Texan then took control with a sizzling run of six birdies from the par-four first before signing off in style with his long-range putt at the ninth.

After finding the right rough off the tee, he struck a four-iron into the front portion of the green before curling in the right-to-left breaking putt for his ninth birdie of the round.

"I was just trying to roll it down there close to the hole and sometimes they go in," Estes said of his final putt. "But it's only Thursday. That's the deal.

"If you're doing that on a Saturday or a Sunday, things are a little bit more intense. When you realise it's only Thursday, you just keep trying to make as many birdies as you can."

Estes, whose last US PGA Tour victory came at the 2002 Kemper Open, has posted three top 10s in 26 US PGA Tour starts this season, his best finish a tie for sixth at the Atlanta Classic in May.

Swede Daniel Chopra carded a blemish-free 67 to lie three off the pace with American Craig Kanada, who reeled off four consecutive birdies from the 18th after teeing off at the 10th.

Japan's Ryuji Imada was among a group of six players bunched on 68.

Former British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia, the highest-ranked player in the field, struggled to an opening 78 which included a triple-bogey at the par-four 13th.

Reuters