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In-form Adam Scott is the best-placed Australian, sharing fourth spot, after the first round of the PGA Tour's opening FedEx Cup playoff event in New Jersey.
Leaving his putting woes behind him, Adam Scott has made another giant stride towards making an improbable appearance at next month's Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Scott continued his late-season resurgence to be the leading Australian and right in the mix after the first round of the PGA Tour's opening FedExCup Cup playoff event in New Jersey.
Heavyweights Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas set a cracking pace at Liberty National, both posting eight-under-par 63s to open up a three-shot lead over Harold Varner III.
Scott is only one stroke further back in a six-way tie for fourth after reeling off five birdies in his round of 67 on Thursday.
The former world No.1 shared second last week at the Wyndham Championship, after narrowly missing out on winning the event on the first playoff hole.
Now he's further enhanced his prospects of making the elite 30-man Tour Championship - the climax of the $US60 million playoffs - having been in danger of not even making it to New Jersey this week only a few days ago.
Scott entered the Wyndham Championship in 121st place in the FedEx standings, with only the top 125 qualifying for the post-season series.
He departed in 82nd spot following his runner-up finish and is now projected to climb to 48th after his excellent first round at the Northern Trust Open.
The top 70 finishers on Sunday will progress to next week's second playoff event in Maryland.
Scott conceded he was "embarrassed" to miss a four-foot birdie putt that would have clinched the 41-year-old a 15th PGA Tour victory last week.
But he's intent on drawing positives out of his eight-birdie final round, rather than dwell on the huge missed opportunity.
"I had to move on," Scott said.
"I'm fairly honest with my assessment of things. I read it inside left. I felt like I hit a good putt that went over the left side of the hole.
"I aimed it left. Maybe it went left, I don't know. I'm not going to break down my entire routine in putting where I've done really well this year."
Scott had made 53 of 53 putts from inside five feet before that howler at Greensboro.
"I felt like my game has been turning the corner really since around June but the results haven't," he said.
"So it was really good that finally on a weekend I shot some good numbers.
"I've really struggled to get my game in the shape to contend at that level out here this year, and finally it was feeling that way.
"Importantly, I wanted to bring it here this week, and so far I have. So that outweighs the disappointment."
Fellow Australians Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Cam Davis all carded two-under 69s on Thursday to be tied 15th.
The trio were already well inside the top 70 starting the week.
