GREENSBORO — Matt Every, on the mend after a case of the driving yips so bad he said it would have driven many to quit, made a perfect start on his way to the first-round lead at the Wyndham Championship on Thursday.

Every holed out from 105 yards for eagle at the first hole and added seven birdies for a career-low, nine-under-par 61 in ideal morning conditions at Sedgefield Country Club.

"The last couple years a lot of people would have quit the game in my position with what has kind of crept into my game,” the American said after earning a one-shot advantage over Swede Henrik Stenson.

Every won the Arnold Palmer Invitational back-to-back in 2015 and 2016 before his driving disintegrated, making it impossible to compete with the game’s best.

As his confidence waned he started flinching, instead of committing to his shot. With his driving back on track, Every, 33, is brimming with confidence.

Stenson, who played in the afternoon, almost caught Every, notching eight birdies with a hot putter. The world No. 9 is the highest-ranked player in the field, with most big names having a week off between the PGA and the start of the tour’s FedExCup playoffs next week.

Seven players were tied for third on seven-under including 2012 US Open winner Webb Simpson and Australians Cameron Smith and Tim Wilkinson.

Hend eyes Presidents Cup audition at Fiji International

Australia's Scott Hend put his hand up for Presidents Cup selection after firing a six-under-par 66 to grab a share of the lead after the second round of the Fiji International on Friday.

The 44-year-old, who missed the cut at the PGA Championship, is in a four-way tie on seven-under with New Zealand's overnight leader Daniel Pearce, South Australian Jason Norris and Malaysia's Gavin Green at the Natadola Bay golf Course.

The reigning Asian Tour of Merit winner's round got off to a flying start when he drained a 70-foot putt for eagle on the par-five first and rolled in three more birdies before the turn. Hend then added two more birdies on the back nine but missed out on the outright lead after making his only bogey of the round on the 17th at the European Tour event, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia.

Hend tied for 10th at the recent WGC-Bridgestone event but will need a captain's pick from Nick Price if he is to represent the International team against the United States at the Presidents Cup in New Jersey from Sept. 28-Oct. 1. "There is nothing more I would like than to be on a Presidents Cup team this year,” Hend said on Friday. "With that in mind, there are no two ways about it, I have to perform, if I don’t perform I won’t get picked. There is nothing to hide, there is nothing to be scared about, I want to play in a Presidents Cup and I need to perform."

A good performance in Fiji will not hurt Hend's chances, particularly with former US Masters champion Mike Weir in the field. Canadian Weir, one of International skipper Price's assistants, shot a 71 to be one-under, six behind the leaders.

Local favorite and former world No. 1 Vijay Singh, who has been troubled by an elbow injury, was also on one-under after shooting an even-par 72, having grinded through nine consecutive pars after the turn.

Argentina's twice major champion Angel Cabrera found his groove with four birdies on the back nine to shoot a 69 and be within four of the leaders on three-under. — Reuters