England's Jordan Smith started impressively at the Baycurrent Classic, carding a bogey-free seven-under 64 to finish just one shot behind first-round leader Jacob Bridgeman in Japan.

Smith, who has made 17 of 23 cuts and secured eight top-25 finishes, including a best of third at the Valspar Championship since earning his PGA Tour card for 2026, recorded four birdies on his front nine and three more on the back nine at Yokohama Country Club.

The 33-year-old expressed his satisfaction, stating, "I'm very happy. I wouldn't say I had my best stuff out there today but there was a lot of good short game shots, a lot of good putting. It was just a nice day out there."

Reflecting on his season, Smith noted, "Everything's very new - new faces, new places, new golf courses. To adapt to that quickly, I'm very happy with that. I've enjoyed it a lot, it's been good fun."

Jacob Bridgeman, the early leader, shot an impressive eight-under 63, also without a bogey, and aims for his second win in as many starts after his victory at the Biltmore Championship Asheville last month. Bridgeman's recent success includes a key role in Team USA's comeback win at the Presidents Cup, where he secured a victory against Min Woo Lee.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele struggled with a one-under 70, placing him outside the top 30. He mixed four birdies with three bogeys. Other competitors like Max Homa, Pierceson Coody, Mac Meissner, and Ricky Castillo are tied for third at six under par.

The Baycurrent Classic, previously known as the Zozo Championship, has been hosted in Japan annually since its inception in 2019, with the exception of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.