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By John Maginnes
PGATOUR.com Contributor

DULUTH, Ga. --- Players competing in the AT&T Classic this week finally have an opportunity to exhale.

Medium-hitting Dicky Pride fired his lowest round of the year on Thursday.

They need to decompression after THE PLAYERS Championship, which the players on the PGA TOUR consider a major, regardless of what the press says. It's not unlike the atmosphere at Hilton Head, which traditionally follows the first major of the year and is a venue that the TOUR players have come to love for its laid-back beach atmosphere.

As I walked down the range at TPC Sugarloaf on Thursday afternoon, everyone was in a good mood and chatty. Those who contended at THE PLAYERS, like Chris DiMarco, were enjoying the bright Georgia sun.

Dicky Pride was holding court in his bucket hat after an opening-round 68. He actually claimed that Henry Diana, Bill Haas' caddy, who roomed with Dicky at Alabama, was holding court. Either way, the atmosphere was enjoyable.

The tournament not only has a new name this year but a new date. This is the second of three events on the PGA TOUR that AT&T sponsors. Perhaps there is something in that for Kevin Southerland. After all, he did finish second at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am earlier this year.

If Kevin wins here he could be the karmic favorite in July at Congressional at AT&T National. Considering that Tiger is hosting the inaugural event, though, I don't think Kevin will be the logical favorite.

The new date is actually a return to May for the first time since Tiger Woods hoisted the trophy at Sugarloaf back in 1998. The players all embrace a May date. The weather is far more manageable. There were times in April when the driving range at Sugarloaf was the coldest place on the PGA TOUR.

The range sits at the top of the property with the prevailing wind right into the players' faces as they warm up, but in May that same breeze cools players in the sun. In April it brought tears to the eyes of those who braved the frigid wind.

Bob May, playing in just his third PGA TOUR event of the year, had a bogey-free 67 in Round 1. (WireImage)

The other benefit of the new date is the condition of the golf course. The veterans who have been coming here since the tournament moved north on I-85 back in 1997 say that they have never seen the course in better condition. Tom Pernice Jr. suggested that these may be the best putting surfaces that the players will see all year.

Additionally, the fairways are firmer and faster this time of year than we have seen here in April. The warmer weather and faster condition bring a lot more players into the picture than we have seen in the past.

Since the tournament moved here, the only player to win who couldn't be considered a bomber is the current Masters champion, Zach Johnson. Tiger, Phil Mickelson, David Duval and Scott McCarron won the first five tournament tournaments at the TPC Sugarloaf, with McCarron winning twice.

It should be interesting this week with the conditions predicted to be perfect for scoring for players of all lengths. Kevin Southerland would be the first to admit that he plays with kids who pound it 30 yards by him every week, yet he shot 65 in the opening round. Dicky Pride doesn't exactly hammer it, either, yet he found success on Thursday.

The tension will build gradually for those in contention as the tournament progresses, but the first half of the week has been very low key. It is too early in the year to worry about money list position and next season.

For players who have been struggling there is plenty of time to turn things around. The general feeling is relief from the challenge of the previous week and optimism for what is to come.