Clayton Rask didn’t take long to figure out Cutter Creek.
The Otsego, Minn., native birdied his first three holes and finished the back nine — his front nine on Thursday — at 6-under par to hold the first round lead of the Cutter Creek Classic with a 6-under 66 at Cutter Creek Golf Club.
Rask, who began his day on No. 10, had four birdies in his first five holes, then eagled the 610-yard par-5 finishing hole at 18 to make the turn at 6-under.
Rask, third on the NGA tour money list, bogeyed No. 1 but got it back with a birdie at the par-5 fifth to play the front nine at even par. He played the par 5s at 5-under.
Ryan Gildersleeve, Adam Hogue, Mark Side and Brent Witcher share second at 5-under, followed by a logjam of 21 golfers separated by a stroke.
Sixty-nine of the 137 golfers who finished shot even par or better.
Brandon Brown, the 2011 Cutter Creek Classic champion, finished at 2-over. Hollywood actor Lucas Black ended at 9-over.
Second round action begins today at 7:30 a.m.
Leaderboard
Cutter Creek Classic
At Cutter Creek Golf Club, Snow Hill
Purse: $150,000
Yardage: 7,280
Par: 72
First round
1. Clayton Rask 66 -6
T2. Ryan Gildersleeve 67 -5
T2. Adam Hogue 67 -5
T2. Mark Side 67 -5
T2. Brent Witcher 67 -5
T6. Brian Richey 68 -4
T6. Travis Bertoni 68 -4
T6. Collin Neeman 68 -4
T6. Jesse Hutchins 68 -4
T6. Jonathan Fly 68 -4
T6. Ben Klaus 68 -4
T6. Adam Hart 68 -4
T13. 14 tied at -3