The 27-year-old joined world number one Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Harold Varner III, Chris Kirk, Nick Taylor and Beau Hossler at the top of the leaderboard as he charged home with four birdies in his closing six holes.

That burst began when the Sydneysider put his tee shot on the 237-yard par-3 fourth to just two feet and two inches from the hole – where he duly tapped in for birdie – and from then on he truly was dialled-in.

Another birdie came at the par-4 sixth as Davis holed a monster putt from more than 25 feet, but he saved his best for his final two holes.

His tee shot at the 199-yard par-3 eighth rolled to five feet from the pin and he once again knocked in the short putt, before capping off his day by putting his approach at the par-4 ninth to within five feet and again holing the birdie putt.

In Japan, Anthony Quayle is one shot off the lead at the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open as he chases one of the four spots in the field for the 150th Open at St Andrews on offer this week.

The Queenslander fired a seven-under 65 which included a sizzling front nine 31 with six birdies and a bogey, before he finished with a flourish with birdies on the 16th and 18th to put him in early conditions for a long-awaited breakthrough win in Japan and a first major start.

At the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, Su Oh had a second round win over American Lizette Salas, while Hannah Green lost to Korean Jenny Shin and Minjee Lee lost to American Brittany Altomare.

Kiwi Steven Alker has a share of the lead at the Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores in Michigan after shooting seven-under in the opening round, while Mark Hensby is three shots back in a tie for seventh.

Scores:

• PGA Tour leaderboard
• LPGA leaderboard 
• Japan Golf Tour leaderboard
• Senior PGA Championship leaderboard