Satoshi Kodaira watches his shot off the seventh tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands on June 24, 2021, in Cromwell, Connecticut. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Satoshi Kodaira carded a 7-under par 63 that left him in a two-way share of the Travelers Championship lead with American Kramer Hickok after the first day of the PGA Tour event in Cromwell, Connecticut, on Thursday.

       The 63 is Kodaira's equal-best round on tour, matching his second-round score at the 2018 RBC Heritage where he clinched his first and only title on the U.S. men's golf tour.

       "I found my rhythm early and stayed in it all the way. It's been a while since I've felt so good about my round," Kodaira said.

       Kodaira is currently ranked 294th in the world and Hickok, who set a new career single-round low Thursday, is 331st.

       The 31-year-old Japanese, who started on the 10th hole, had a par-four eagle, six birdies and a bogey at TPC River Highlands. He recorded four birdies on the back nine, then went birdie-eagle-birdie to start the front nine to take the lead.

       His eagle came when he holed out from 80 yards, finding the pin tucked away behind a bunker on the extreme left of the green.

       "I didn't see the ball drop (for the eagle on the second) but I heard the crowd cheering and that's how I knew," Kodaira said.

       He made his only bogey of the day on the par-3 eighth, dashing his hopes of a career-low 62.

       Kodaira missed the cut at the Travelers Championship in 2018 and 2019.

       The pair hold a one-stroke lead over American Talor Gooch, who carded a bogey-free, 6-under 64.

       Dustin Johnson, who lost his World No. 1 status to U.S. Open winner Jon Rahm last week, shot 70 as the defending champion continued to struggle with inconsistent form. Japan's highest-ranked player Hideki Matsuyama is not competing.

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0