Short game saves Leishman in Phoenix PGA

Marc Leishman's short game has held together well enough to leave the Australian thankful for a three-under par 68 in the first round of the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open.

Leishman is the best-placed Australian in Scottsdale, sitting in a share of 18th, four shots behind early leader Matt Kuchar.

He carded a bogey-free round on Thursday (Friday AEDT) and was relieved to finish with birdies at the 12th, 17th and 18th holes.

"I got a lot out of it. I didn't play very well at all," Leishman told PGA TOUR Radio.

"So it's always nice you can play like that and have a good score. I was in the cactus a bit and hit a few in the rough.

"But the short game was good, the putter was good. It was a good day considering the way I played."

Cameron Smith is in a tie for 28th after a two-under 69, with fellow Aussie Geoff Ogilvy a shot further back.

American Matt Kuchar eagled the par-5 13th and added two late birdies and a big par save on the rowdy par-3 16th hole to take the first-round lead.

Kuchar shot a seven-under 64 in perfect afternoon conditions at TPC Scottsdale for a one-stroke lead over defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and Brendan Steele.

The crowd was estimated at 103,420 people on the fan-friendly stadium layout.

Kuchar made a 20-foot eagle putt on the 13th and ran in a 6-footer for birdie on the par-5 15th.

He got up-and-down for par from the left bunker on the triple-deck stadium 16th, making a 12-foot putt, and chipped to inches from the front fringe on the short par-4 17th to set up his final birdie in the bogey-free round.

Matsuyama had a bogey-free round in the morning. Last year, he beat Rickie Fowler in a play-off.