Fort Worth, TX – Ryan Palmer fired an 8-under 62 on Thursday and grabbed a 1-stroke lead through the opening round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Palmer, who has been a Colonial member since 2010, matched the lowest round of his career and the lowest opening round in tournament history.
"It helps, obviously, the experience I have had here," said the three-time PGA Tour winner.
John Rollins, also a Colonial member, is a shot off the pace after a first- round 63, which marks his best round at the course by four strokes.
"I think it's pretty cool," the three-time tour winner Rollins said of residing near the top of the leaderboard with a fellow member. "It would be fun if we could fast forward this to Sunday."
Morgan Hoffmann, David Hearn, Graham DeLaet and John Peterson are tied for third place at 6-under 64, while world No. 13 Matt Kuchar highlights a group of six knotted at 5-under.
Defending champion Zach Johnson carded a 1-under 71, as did last week's winner, Sang-Moon Bae.
"It's a fairly solid day," said Johnson. "A day I didn't shoot myself out of it."
Palmer, whose caddy James Edmondson is a three-time Colonial club champion, was the model of consistency with 31s on both his outward and inward nines.
Bogey-free on the day, Palmer started on the 10th tee and opened with four straight pars before catching fire with four consecutive birdies from the 14th.
A par at No. 18 preceded another gain around the turn, and after another stretch of pars, Palmer closed with three birdies in four holes for the outright lead.
"This is what I dream about when I play here every year," Palmer said. "This is the one tournament I gear up for the most."
Rollins recorded the low round of the afternoon wave.
He began the day with consecutive birdies and added another gain on the sixth for an outward 32.
Only a bogey on the 12th kept Rollins from a share of the top spot. He birdied Nos. 10, 11, 13 and 15 before turning the trick again with a 22-foot putt on the last to get within a single stroke of the lead.
"I know a lot of people know that Ryan is a member," he said. "A lot of people may not know that I'm a member here. Hopefully by the end of the week they will."
NOTES: Thirty-eight players are within five shots of the lead ... Palmer hit 12 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens ... No dues-paying member of Colonial has won this event since Ben Hogan in 1959 ... Rollins has missed the cut seven times in 10 previous starts at this tournament ... Kuchar has made 17 straight cuts on the PGA tour dating back to August of last year.
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