Zach Johnson shoots 67 in first-round of John Deere Classic golf

SILVIS, Ill. -- Imagine shooting a 67 and being eight shots out of the lead of a golf tournament. After the first round.

Such was Zach Johnson's fate Thursday at the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic. His 4-under-par 67 had him tied for 18th as of 5:30 p.m., and eight shots behind Paul Goydos.

Goydos tied the Tour's record for the lowest 18-hole score with his 59. Defending JDC champion Steve Stricker was none too shabby with a 60. No one else is closer than five shots behind Goydos.

"A 59 on the board before you've even hit a shot, that's a bit odd," said Johnson, who teed off a half-hour after Goydos completed his round-of-a-lifetime.

Johnson is the only Tour player to shoot 60 on two different occasions, so he at least knows how Stricker feels, if not Goydos. Strikcer (2009) and J.P. Hayes (2002) had the previous course-record of 61.

Johnson was 17-under for the Deere last year after going 12-under over the final two rounds. He tied for second place, three shots behind Stricker.

"I'm not ruling anything out," Johnson said after Thursday's round, which concluded with a bogey on the 18th hole.

"I don't feel like I'm out of it. You could have said that last year, and I had a chance to win going into the last round."

Johnson begins his second-round Friday at 7:28 a.m.