Bernhard Langer got off to a flying start today with four birdies in his first four holes and never let down, carding a tournament record-tying, bogey-free nine-under 63 to take a four shot opening round lead in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach.

The 56-year-old German World Golf Hall of Fame member—currently ranked No. 2 in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings behind Kenny Perry— recorded his round at Del Monte Golf Course, where all the day’s low scores were recorded.

The 54-hole $1.8 million Champions Tour event began Friday on California's Monterey Peninsula. This event, in which players are paired with participants from the First Tee program for the first two rounds, is split between the Pebble Beach and Del Monte Golf Courses.

Langer started on the back nine today and after his first four birdies he closed his first nine with birdies on the 17th and 18th (his eighth and ninth holes) to make the turn with a six-under 30. He would birdie the first hole (his 10th) to move to seven-under and added birdies on the fourth (his 13th) and closed his round fittingly with a birdie on his last hole.

Langer, who hadn't played in the tournament since his first event on the Champions Tour in 2007, also missed several birdie attempts while flirting with a sub-60 round.

Defending champion Kirk Triplett also played his opening round at Del Monte and he highlights a group of players tied for second place at five-under 67. Triplett was joined by Tom Lehman, Andrew Magee, Doug Garwood and Mark McNulty, who all played at Del Monte.

Triplett, who like Langer started on the back nine, had four straight birdies, beginning at the 17th but couldn’t muster another one, parring his final seven holes.

Fred Couples, Dan Forsman, Jerry Haas, Russ Cochran and Joey Sindelar each shot four-under 68 at Del Monte to share seventh place. Scott Hoch recorded the best score at Pebble Beach on Friday with a two-under 70 thanks to a birdie on the ninth hole—his final hole of the day.

Other notables scores: Esteban Toledo (three-under at DM), John Cook (two-under at DM), Tom Pernice Jr (one-under at PB), Duffy Waldorf and Colin Montgomerie (even-par at DM), David Frost (one-over at PB), Rocco Mediate (two-over at PB), Corey Pavin (five-over at PB) and Michael Allen (eight-over at PB).

It will be interesting to see how things even out on Saturday with the players that played at Del Monte switching to the tougher Pebble Beach Golf Links for the tournament continuation.