Potomac, Md. ? Georgian Franklin Langham, seeking to become the Kemper Open’s fourth straight first-time PGA Tour winner, calmly passed the big names and came within a couple of inches of setting a course record on Thursday.

Langham missed a long birdie putt on the final hole and settled for tying the TPC at Avenel mark with an 8-under-par 63, good for a two-stroke lead over Bob Estes and three ahead of Chris DiMarco, Brian Watts, Jay Williamson and Willie Wood. Greg Norman was among players four back at 67.

Langham had to play the first part of this year on a medical exemption after major elbow surgery that had him in rehab from October to the end of February.

Langham said his elbow muscles became so small during his layoff that he “could see all the bones” sticking out.

“There were times I was scared,” Langham said.