PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Tom Gillis has been just about everywhere in golf except atop the leaderboard on the PGA Tour.

Gillis at least gave himself a chance yesterday in the Honda Classic, where the 43-year-old journeyman made a long par putt in the middle of his round that triggered a series of birdies for a 6-under 64.

Among the early starters, Gillis had a two-shot lead at 8-under 132.

If he wasn’t overly excited, it because half the field was still on the course, and because the conditions were so benign at PGA National that even a 64 was no longer anything special.

“It wasn’t a perfect round, but it was pretty good,” Gillis said.

Brian Harman was better than that.

The rookie from Georgia stood in the middle of the fairway on the par-5 18th hole with a chance to shoot 59 if he made eagle. He gave it his best shot, leaving a hybrid into the front bunker in an attempt to have a reasonable putt. Harman wound up missing a 5-footer and had to settle for par, though his 61 still broke the course record by three shots.

“Just one of those crazy days where everything comes together,” Harman said. “Got off to a really hot start and just kept the pedal down all day.”

For Tiger Woods, it was a matter of hitting the gas and slamming on the brakes. He stuffed an approach inside 3 feet for birdie, then had to scramble for bogey. He bounced a tee shot off a spectator and turned that into birdie, only to hit his next tee shot into the water for double bogey. Two birdies to finish his round gave him a 2-under 68, leaving him seven shots out of the lead.

“It was nice to get that kind of finish because I was struggling today a little bit, trying to find a motion that was going to get the job done,” said Woods, whose 3-year-old son, Charlie, watched him play a tournament for the first time. “Somehow, I managed to score.”

He still didn’t score as well as so many others. Graeme McDowell, who opened with a 73, birdied five of his last seven holes for a 64.