( CNN ) -- Roberto Castro enjoyed an impressive debut at the Players Championship , carding a nine-under-par round of 63 to tie the course record at TPC Sawgrass and top the leaderboard after day one of the $ 9.5 million tournament . Yet to record a PGA Tour win in his six-year career , the American equaled the record set by golf icons Fred Couples and Greg Norman to lead two-time major winner Rory McIlroy and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson by three shots . `` Tiger Woods ( did n't ) play till this afternoon , '' Castro told the Tour 's official website after a round which included seven birdies and an eagle at the second hole . `` So I 'm sure some people were looking for something interesting to watch . `` The last two weeks I 've hit the ball nicely , the scores just have n't shown it . A couple of rounds , especially in the last two weeks , could have been low . They were n't even remotely low on the scorecard , but had a couple of quality shots . '' Playing alongside Castro was compatriot Jason Bohn , who suggested the 27-year-old 's round could have been even better . `` It was a clinic , '' said Bohn , who was four under at the end of Thursday 's play . `` It was beautiful . I 've never seen a 63 shot like that . `` You see guys chip in or hole a bunker shot ; but he shot 63 and it could 've been two or three shots lower . '' McIlroy enjoyed his best ever day at the event , having missed the cut and failed to break par on his three previous trips to Ponte Vedra Beach . The world No . 2 was part of a stellar threesome which also included recently crowned Masters champion Adam Scott -- playing for the first time since his Augusta triumph -- and 12-time PGA winner Steve Stricker . `` I think when you get all three guys playing well in a group , you sort of feed off one another , '' said McIlroy . `` It was a good group to be a part of . '' Scott , who won the Players in 2004 , was satisfied with his opening round of 69 . `` I was a little surprised when I teed off that someone was five under already , '' explained the Australian . `` I thought it might play a little tougher than that . But it was ideal . `` There was n't even a breath of wind hardly on the front nine . The greens seemed pretty receptive , too , so if you were in the fairway you could attack . '' A slip up at the 18th dashed world No . 1 Tiger Woods ' hopes of carding a first bogey-free round at the Players . The 14-time major winner carded six birdies during his round of 67 , one stroke off his career best score at the event . `` I felt like I hit the ball good enough , but more importantly , I missed the ball in all the correct spots , '' said Woods , who is looking to win the tournament for the second time . `` I left myself some easy up and downs , and I was able to convert those up and downs . ''
Tiger Woods leads Players Championship after record-equaling opening round . The American shot a nine -under-par six to lead the field by six shots . Tiger Woods and Zach Johnson tied for second place on six under . Tiger Woods bogeys the 18th to sit tied for fourth on nine under .