Jeev Milkha Singh fired a steady opening round of four-under 68 to be tied ninth but compatriot SSP Chowrasia fumbled in his WGC-CA Championship debut and went two-over 74 to be tied 63rd in Miami.
Jeev began with a birdie and signed off with a bogey. In between, he dropped two more shots on the third and seventh holes. But on the other side of the ledger, he birdied the fifth, eighth, 10th and 14th, also squeezing an eagle at the par-four sixth hole to save his bacon.
Chowrasia, however, had no such luck and the Kolkata pro managed just two birdies, both on the front nine, against a bogey quartet to drop down the leaderboard.
Indian-born Swede Daniel Chopra was tied 45th after kicking off his campaign with a level-par 72.
The PGA Tour regular, who learned the basics at Delhi Golf Club, slotted four birdies, which were eventually cancelled out by a couple of bogeys and a double bogey on the fourth hole.
Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and European Tour regular Miguel Ángel Jimenez blasted identical opening round of seven-under 65 to share the top spot, with American Stewart Cink breathing down their neck from one shot behind.
At tied fourth was Tiger Woods after a sedate round of 67, a card that included seven birdies and two bogeys.
