The world No.64 on Thursday endured two bogeys on the par-four third and par-three fourth holes before making par efforts on the next five holes.
The 29-year-old showed signs of recovery as he birdied the par-four 10th hole but a bogey and a double-bogey on the 13th and 15th respectively turned the round worse. A birdie on the par-five 17th gave him a 73 in the opening round.
Meanwhile, American Jimmy Walker fired a five-under 65 to take a one-shot lead over a group of three golfers after the first round of the final major on the 2016 calendar.
The 37-year-old Walker birdied two holes on the front nine and four others on the back nine and bogeyed just one hole - the par-four sixth.
Right behind him with a 66 are Argentine Emiliano Grillo, England's Ross Fisher and Germany's Martin Kaymer, reports Efe.
"The greens were absolutely perfect and the fairway seemed like the putting green at my house," the 23-year-old Grillo told Efe after carding six birdies and rediscovering his feel with the putter.
"I've been working hard with my caddie Jose Luis Campa on the putter and we got results," the Argentine said with relief in his voice after struggling on the greens the past two weeks at the British Open and the Canadian Open.
South Korean K.J. Choi, who is playing his first major of 2016, was three shots behind Walker, while Sweden's Henrik Stenson, fresh off winning the British Open in a thrilling final-round duel with American great Phil Mickelson, is two shots back.
Australian world No.1 and defending champion Jason Day started strong with a two-under 68 and Phil Mickelson carded a 1-over 71.
But American world No.2 Dustin Johnson was in danger of missing the cut after shooting a disastrous seven-over 77 on Thursday.
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