Defending champion Matt Kuchar birdied the 18th hole to seize the lead after the completion of the storm-interrupted first round of the Barclays golf tournament.
Kuchar stood on eight-under-par 63 to take a one-stroke edge over fellow American Dustin Johnson at the $NZ9 million event, the first tournament in the season-ending play-off series on the US PGA Tour.
A total of 51 players were forced to finish their first rounds on Saturday due to storms that halted play for three hours on Friday.
Kuchar, who began his morning with a par at the par-four 17th, fired into a bunker off the tee on the par-four 18th, then blasted out of the sand to within three feet of the pin and made his birdie putt to take the lead.
Kuchar ran off nine birdies against a lone bogey for his complete round at Planfield Country Club, then began his second round as organisers hoped to make the cut ahead of Hurricane Irene, which could hit the area over the weekend.
Tied for third on 10 under were Irishman Padraig Harrington, Fiji's Vijay Singh, Englishman Justin Rose, Australian Adam Baddeley and American Harrison Frazar.
Australians Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley joined Americans Dustin Johnson, Ryan Palmer and Charley Hoffman on 66.
