The 30-year-old, who has made 47 cuts in 81 career starts without yet lifting a trophy, enjoyed a standout day on the greens, twice scrambling to save par and pouring in a series of lengthy putts, which included a run of six consecutive birdies.
PGA stats showed Smotherman racked up an impressive 132 feet of putts made in his bogey-free display.
"The length of putts that I was making was nice to see, but I also felt like I hit a lot of good putts," Smotherman said. "The par save on 15 to kind of keep things going, a par save as well on 6 after a bad lag putt, that kind of kept things going."
"I came out here today excited to play," he added. "I'm glad I was an early tee time today, too, not having to wait around and maybe see other guys doing what they're doing. But I just wanted to get on the golf course.
"Felt like the game was in a good spot."
Nico Echavarria moved into solo second after opening with a seven-under 63, leaving him one shot off the pace, while a six-strong group sat in pursuit on four under after matching 67s.
That chasing pack included Taylor Moore, Jackson Suber, Kevin Roy, Daniel Berger, Norway's Kristoffer Reitan and Sweden's Pontus Nyholm.
Echavarria's strong start represented a timely response after a sluggish opening to his 2026 campaign, having missed the cut in four of his first five starts of the season.
"The golf hasn't been that far off," Echavarria said, "I could tell today that having patience and just enjoying it out there was going to be the key for the day, and we did that."
Brooks Koepka struggled to find any momentum on his return to Florida, faltering late to post a three-over-par 74 that left him well off the pace.
The recent PGA Tour returnee played his final six holes at four over par, highlighted by a costly double bogey at the par-three 17th, and headed into Friday languishing in a tie for 98th.
Jacob Bridgeman survived a late scare from Rory McIlroy to secure his first PGA Tour title, edging out the Northern Irishman by a single shot at The Genesis Invitational.
Rory McIlroy followed up his opening 66 with an even better 65 to sit just one shot off the lead held by Marco Penge and Jacob Bridgeman at the halfway mark of the Genesis Invitational.
Rory McIlroy mastered the brutal conditions to post a five-under 66 and claim a share of the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Genesis Invitational.
Collin Morikawa ended a two-year wait for a PGA Tour title with a one-shot win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am after holding off a late surge from world number one Scottie Scheffler.
