The trio lead by one shot from Scott Hoch, Chad Campbell, Australian Peter Lonard, Joe Durant and Chris DiMarco.

World number one Tiger Woods is three shots off the lead at six under.

Sluman, 45, fired nine birdies in his bogey-free round on the Palm Course, while Tanaka, starting from the 10th tee at the Magnolia Golf Course, went out in a six-under 30.

The Japanese player bagged four more birdies, with his lone bogey coming at the par-four seventh.

Burns, 34, birdied the opening two holes of the Palm course and then added seven more in a bogey-free round.

Woods is seeking to win this event for the third time, having also taken the title in 1996 and 1999.

He bogeyed the ninth after making birdie on five of the previous seven holes on the Palm course.

The winner of eight Majors went on to pick up three more birdies but bogeyed the 17th on his way to a share of 10th.

"I'll take it," said Woods, who hit just eight of 14 fairways.

"It was not a great ball-striking day, but I really putted well.

"There are days where you kind of slap it around and get it in the hole somehow."

Sluman won earlier this season in the Greater Milwaukee Open and tied for second in the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas last week for his third top-10 finish in his last four tournaments.

He has won nearly $2.1 million this year, a career best.

Burns has won twice previously on the Buy.com Tour, but his best PGA Tour finish is a tie for third at this year's Kemper Insurance Open.

Tanaka has won 15 times internationally, but his best PGA showing is a share of seventh at this year's SEI Pennsylvania Classic.