Rico Hoey fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to trail solo leader J.T. Poston by three strokes at the start of The American Express on Thursday, Jan. 16, in La Quinta, California.

The Fil-American shot seven birdies at the La Quinta Country Club to share the crowded eighth spot with eight others.

Starting at the back nine, Hoey displayed his poise with birdies on the 11th, 16th and 18th and kept his pace with two more birdies on the first and fourth holes.

He continued with his hot form with back-to-back birdies on the sixth and seventh to make his title campaign felt in this third event of the new PGA Tour season.

Meanwhile, Poston shot an eagle-aided 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead over Justin Lower.

Poston, a three-time PGA Tour winner, carded nine birdies and an eagle 3 on the seventh to offset a bogey on the par-4 first hole at the Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Lower posted a 63 highlighted by back-to-back eagles on the fifth and sixth holes, and five birdies at the back nine, putting him one shot ahead of an 8-under pack that included Jason Day, Joel Dahmen, Chris Kirk, J.J. Spaun and Matti Schmid.

Canadian Nick Taylor, fresh from last Sunday’s victory in the Sony Open, joined Hoey at eighth place with a 65 at the Pete Dye Stadium Course. Tony Finau was 7 under, while Justin Thomas shot 67 and Patrick Cantlay shot 68.

Blades Brown, the 17-year-old prodigy playing on a sponsor exemption, shot 72 in his first round as a professional. After bogeying his second hole and double-bogeying his third, the high school junior from Nashville, Tennessee, calmed down and strung together three consecutive birdies before finishing with 12 straight pars.

Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot a 67 at La Quinta in his return to the tournament where he became the first amateur in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour.