Kiwi golfers Steven Alker and Tim Wilkinson have both had blistering opening rounds at the Albertsons Boise Open in Idaho on the web.com tour to help their cause of gaining a card for next year's lucrative PGA Tour.
Alker, who registered his first tournament win since 2009 in Utah last week, is the co-leader after shooting a 9-under 62. The 41-year-old carded seven birdies and an eagle in his round and shares the lead with American Hunter Haas.
Wilkinson is just one shot back following an 8-under 63. The left-hander fired an impressive 6-under 29 on the back nine, ending his round with five successive birdies.
Wilkinson, who is eighth on the Order of Merit, is hoping to return to the PGA Tour for the first time since 2009 but also has another ambition in mind.
"Winning's still a goal,'' Wilkinson told the web.com Tour ahead of this week's event. "It'll be very difficult to win the money list without winning.''
Finishing No 1 on the money list brings two added perks _ the top spot in the web.com graduating class, exempt from the quarterly reshuffle in priority status, as well as a berth in The Players Championship.
Fellow Kiwi Danny Lee is tied for 73rd after a 2-under 69.
The top 25 players on the Order of Merit at the end of the 2013 season automatically qualify for the PGA Tour and three Kiwis - Wilkinson, Alker and Lee - are all inside that mark.