P – Australia’s Robert Allenby was three shots off the lead on a log-jammed leaderboard on Thursday after the first round of the US PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico.

Allenby fired a first-round of 69 in windy conditions, while Greg Norman posted a 79 on the El Camaleon course which he designed.

American Will Claxton shot a five-under-par 66 to top the leaderboard, completing his round without a bogey. He teed off on 10 and four of his five birdies came in a burst from the second through the fifth holes.

The 30-year-old had a one-shot lead over a group of seven players – Mark Anderson, Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, Matt Every, Charles Howell, John Huh, England’s Greg Owen and Marc Turnesa.

A group of eight players on 68 included South Korean’s Noh Seung-yul and Sunghoon Kang, as well as Canadian David Hearn.

European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain carded a 72 and Champions Tour player Nick Price opened with a 69.

Defending champion Johnson Wagner had a 73. Wagner won the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and tied for second the following week in the Humana Challenge in California.

Last year, he beat Spencer Levin with a par on the first hole of a playoff. Levin also opened with a 73.

The $US3.7 million ($A3.5 million) Tour event was played at the same time as the WGC Match Play Championships in Arizona, which drew the top golfers in the world this week.