Jones, the 30-year-old Australian also had four birdies in a back-nine 30 on the Greg Norman-designed Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, the tournament's new site after 15 years at La Cantera.

Paul Stankowski opened with a 67, and J.B. Holmes, Matt Weibring, Charley Hoffman and Steve Lowery had 68s.

Ernie Els, a two-time winner this year, had a 72. He was 3 under on the final five holes, making a tap-in eagle on 14 after a 293-yard second shot.

"Obviously, this golf course is a little bit different than we play week in and week out, and I think to some of the players it's a little bit of a shock," Els said.

"Back to even par, but I feel like, you know, it could have been a low score out there. The wind dropped for us." Els' playing partner, Vijay Singh, left several putts just short, but finished with a birdie for a 73. Zach Johnson, the two-time defending champion, made a 7 on the par-3 13th and ended up with an 8-over 80.

Jones rebounded after making a double bogey on the first hole.

"A double wasn't the start we wanted, but the first hole is not an easy starting tee shot there at all," Jones said. "It's very narrow.

"After that, it was just a battle to get back to even par on the front nine, and then I made about a 30-footer for par on 11, which kind of kept me going. And from there on, we had six birdies and an eagle."

Jones hit a 3-wood approach from 276 yards to 8 feet on No. 14. He birdied three of the four par 3s.

"With these greens, if you miss a tee shot you're working hard to par or birdie," Jones said. "If you miss a second shot, it's tough out of the bunkers and runoffs they have on the greens. These par 3s aren't easy. To have three birdies on par-3s is quite good." Jones, whose best finish this season is a share of seventh two weeks ago at Quail Hollow, teed off among the morning groups before the temperature on a humid, windy day climbed into the mid-80s.

Stankowski birdied five of his final 15 holes. "This would rival one of the most solid rounds I've played in years," Stankowski said. "I know in the wind, you have one option — to go ahead and hit solid shots, and I did that today. This was a good day, and this is really how I would love to draw them every round.
 

In Mobile,  Alabama,  Azahara Munoz shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over Katherine Hull and Jee Young Lee in the Bell Micro LPGA Classic, the LPGA Tour's first event since Erica Blasberg was found dead.

Munoz, the former Spanish amateur star had a bogey-free round on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.

Blasberg died Sunday in suburban Las Vegas and her agent said she had been all set to attempt to qualify for the field at Magnolia Grove. Police have not said if they suspect foul play. The coroner said a ruling on a cause of death was pending blood and tissue tests that could take four to six weeks to complete.

Cristie Kerr, Meena Lee, Janice Moodie and Hye Jung Choi shot 67s, and Suzann Pettersen, Eunjung Yi, Sun Young Yoo and Amanda Blumenherst opened with 68s.

Jiyai Shin, No. 1 in the world ranking following Lorena Ochoa's retirement two weeks ago after the Tres Marias Championship in Mexico, had a 70.

Japanese star Ai Miyazato, the Tres Marias winner for her third victory in the first five events this season, also opened with a 70. Michelle Wie shot a 72.

The tournament wasn't played in 2009 because of course renovation work. In September 2008 at Magnolia Grove, Angela Stanford beat Shanshan Feng by a stroke.

Stanford shot a 70 on Thursday.