Winless on the PGA Tour since 2014, the 46-year-old Streelman opened his afternoon round at the Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante with an eagle and a birdie on Thursday.
"It's a tiring golf course, especially when it blows this hard out here," Streelman said.
"You have holes you need to take care of, with No.1 being one of them. It's kind of a downwind par 5, and 18 is a similar fashion. But then you turn into the wind."
Whitney birdied the first three holes.
"Starting the day on this golf course you're thinking, 'I need to get it to 6, 7, 8,'" Whitney said. "Then the wind starts blowing and you kind of temper those expectations. I'm very pleased with 5 under."
Defending champion Erik van Rooyen was a stroke back at 68 with Taylor Montgomery, Max Greyserman, Nate Lashley, Austin Eckroat, Kelly Kraft and Ryan McCormick.
"Completely different test than what we had last year," van Rooyen said. "There was maybe one club of wind last year."
Nico Echavarria of Colombia, the Zozo Championship winner in Japan in his last start, opened with a 69.
"It was a good round, good start, bogey-free," Echavarria said. "A lot of wind for the morning."
Aaron Baddeley, the lone Australian in the field, had a one-under 71 and is tied 39th.
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