Rod Pampling hardly made a mistake as he earned a share of the clubhouse lead during the opening round at the US PGA Championship.

Pampling, out in the first group of the day, avoided Oak Hill's punishing rough on all but one occasion on his way to a four-under par 66, a score matched only by American Phil Mickelson among the morning starters.

With half the field back in the clubhouse, Pampling and Mickelson led by two strokes from Masters champion Mike Weir, while Tiger Woods was all over the place en route to a disappointing 74.

Best of the other Australians to play early was Robert Allenby, who shot an even-par 70 that included a hole-in-one at the par-three 11th. Geoff Ogilvy shot 71, Stuart Appleby 74, Andre Stolz 75, Craig Parry 79.

"I drove the ball really well. It was pretty boring but I'm happy with it," said Pampling, who hit 16 greens in regulation.

"The rough is really gnarly. If you hit in there, you're basically chipping it out, but if you drive it well it's definitely there to shoot a number, the way the course is playing.

"The last three tournaments I've played really well, and this is just a lead-on from there."

Pampling, whose clubs were stolen from the garage of his Dallas home in April, has finally adjusted to his new set, but perhaps the key to his recent improvement was a decision last month to switched to the mid-length belly putter.

His only visit to the rough came the par-5 fourth hole. He also missed the fairway at the last, but was fortunate to find a fairway bunker, a far preferable spot than the long grass.

Allenby, meanwhile, had steam coming from his ears after three-putting the 10th, but his mood was quickly transformed when he holed a four iron from 210 metres at the very next hole.

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