Scott McCarron took the first-round lead Thursday in the opening event in the new four-tournament Web.com Tour Finals series.
The 48-year-old McCarron, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, had eight birdies, an eagle and two bogeys for an 8-under 64 at Sycamore Hills. He's in the field on a special medical exemption after finishing 250th in the PGA Tour's standings.
The bulk of the field is made up of top 75 players from the Web.com Tour money list and Nos. 126-200 in the FedEx Cup standings. The top 25 on the secondary tour's money list are assured PGA Tour cards for the 2013-14 season, while the other players are fighting for 25 additional cards.
Bud Cauley, Jason Gore, Troy Matteson and Scott Harrington were a stroke behind, and Arron Oberholser and Jeff Klauk shot 66. Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman opened with a 67.
McCarron has 11 events remaining on the medical exemption. Last October, he had thumb surgery and admittedly returned too early in January.