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By Chris Reimer
PGA TOUR Staff

MOOSIC, Pa. -- Frustrated with his game and needing a jump start to his 2007 Nationwide Tour season, Chad Collins put a new putter and a new driver in his bag before the start of the Peek'n Peak Classic six weeks ago. Since then, the 28-year-old from Cloverdale, Ind., has recorded five consecutive top-20 finishes and shot a 9-under-par 62 to take a two-stroke lead over Jim McGovern, Jeff Curl and Chris Anderson in the opening round of this week's Northeast Pennsylvania Classic.

Chad Collins during round one of the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic held at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic, Pa., on Aug. 9, 2007. (WireImage)

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"I made the change, and it turned everything around," Collins said. "It's been a huge boost of confidence since Peek'n Peak. It's hard to beat confidence in this game. Now, I'm just going to try to keep this thing rolling."

At No. 13, Collins is the highest-ranked player on the money list who has yet to record a victory this season. His consistent play has put him well within 'The 25' on the money list who at the end of the season will earn their 2008 PGA TOUR card. During his recent successful five-week stretch, Collins has finished T15, T5, T2, T9 and T17, respectively.

Collins' bogey-free round of 62 was one stroke off the course record, the lowest opening round in tournament history and marks his career-low round on the Nationwide Tour. His previous best was a 63 at the 2005 Cox Classic. He began the day with birdies on five of his first seven holes en route to an opening-nine 29, matching the tournament record for the front nine. Through his first 12 holes, Collins had 13 putts and finished with 23 putts for his round.

"My putter was hot today. It was one of those days where if it didn't go in, it was going to be close," said the Methodist College graduate. "When you have as much confidence in your putter as I do right now, it frees up a lot of your other clubs. It allows you to be more aggressive."

McGovern drove to the tournament Wednesday evening from his nearby home in Oradell, New Jersey. Without playing a practice round, the 42-year-old started his round on the back nine where he birdied four of his first five holes including a chip-in on the par-4 13th hole.

"The golf course is in great shape," he said. "I love it here. It's one of those places that give a true test of golf. Some of the courses we play out here let you just stand up and rip it. Out here you better be sharp on every shot or it will bite you."

McGovern's career includes three wins on the Nationwide Tour and a victory at the 1993 Shell Houston Open on the PGA TOUR. For a hockey-loving guy from Jersey, the Tour couldn't have returned to the Northeast soon enough.

"The courses up here define shots," he said. "There are no wide open holes where you are aiming your shot at something three miles away. Everything is in front of you here. The trees, the rough and the courses are tight and they define your shots for you. It's a very fair golf course."

Anderson's bogey-free 64 is his lowest round since shooting 63 at the Gila River Classic in 2004. The 36-year-old won the Carolina Classic that year and finished the season No. 18 on the Nationwide Tour money list. His best finish this season is a T11 at the Showdown at Somerby.

"It's a good start. Without any wind this afternoon, the course actually played pretty easy," Anderson said. "It's nice to finish in the afternoon cause I can get a bite to eat, go to bed and try to pick up tomorrow morning right where I left off today. I can almost just continue my round."

Monday qualifier Jeff Curl had it to 9-under with two holes left, but finished with bogeys on each of his final two holes to finish two behind Collins. The 28-year-old son of 27-year PGA TOUR veteran Rod Curl recently won the Connecticut State Open. In his only other Nationwide Tour event this season, Curl finished T31.

First Round News & Notes: Eight players shot bogey-free rounds on Thursday.... Mike Capone and Adam Riddering withdrew following the end of the first round... Patrick Sheehan made a hole-in-one on the 221-yard par-3 second hole. It is the eighth hole-in-one in tournament history, however the first on No. 2... The first-round scoring average of 70.699 is the second lowest in tournament history. The lowest opening round occurred in 2003 when players averaged a score of 70.372.