Mathis one ahead in Cromwell

David Mathis aced the par three 11th en route to a first-round 64 to lead the Travelers Championship by one shot.

The 37-year-old, who is in just his third year on the PGA Tour despite turning professional back in 1997, managed the hole-in-one at the 11th, his second hole, and, after making birdies at his first and third holes, found himself four-under after three holes. He was six-under par after six holes and, despite a couple of dropped shots, secured further birdies at the third and ninth. The North Carolina resident leads by one from Australian Nathan Green, America's Will Claxton and defending champion Fredrick Jacobsen of Sweden, while 10 players are just a further shot back on -4. US Open champion Webb Simpson is among them after five birdies and one bogey and he was joined on four-under by Masters champion Bubba Watson, who seemed to have his 'game head' back on after missing the cut at the Olympic Club last week. Three-under par is also a popular score with 10 players, including England's Brian Davis and in-form US star Matt Kuchar, while Ian Poulter signed for a 68 and is well placed on two-under par after the first 18 holes. Despite the strong field and major champions at every turn, the day belonged to journeyman Mathis, who was delighted with the way his round began. "It was an awesome start," he told the PGA Tour's official website," he said. "It kind of bounced and stumbled right and went right in the hole. "I was hitting a lot of great shots, and I guess (the rest of his round) felt like a lull compared to how I started."