It will be very very difficult for him to make the cut as he was lying 127th out of 132 players.
Atwal opened with a string of five pars but then slumped to a quadruple bogey on par-4 sixth and a bogey on par-5 ninth to turn in five-over. Bogeys on 13th and 15th were undone by bogeys on 16th and 18th as he ended the day at five-over 76.
Last week Atwal had missed the cut at Chiquita Classic on Webdotcom Tour.
Ryan Moore matched the course record and his career best with a 10-under 61 in the first round. He had nine birdies, an eagle on the 341-yard, par-4 15th -- and a bogey in perfect conditions at TPC Summerlin to take a one-stroke lead.
Brendon de Jonge had a 62 and Tim Herron and John Huh shot 63.