By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH -- Ryan Palmer and John Rollins live about a mile apart from each other in nearby Colleyville, a suburb near DFW Airport. They are members at Colonial Country Club and have played several rounds together.

And now they're dominating the top of the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Palmer shot an 8-under 62 in the morning, and Rollins followed with a 63 in the afternoon, claiming the top two spots after 18 holes. Four players -- Morgan Hoffman; Canadians David Hearn and Graham DeLaet; and John Peterson, the latter having grown up on this course when his family had a membership -- were another shot back at 64.

No dues-paying member of Colonial has won the Crowne Plaza Invitational since the last of Ben Hogan's five wins in 1959. Palmer or Rollins could follow in Hogan's footsteps this week.

"I think it's pretty cool," Rollins said. "It would be fun if we could fast forward this to Sunday."

Palmer actually plays more golf at Colonial than does Rollins does.

"I think he is a pretty permanent fixture in the men's group," Rollins said. "... I know a lot of people know that Ryan is a member. A lot of people may not know that I'm a member here. Hopefully by the end of the week they will."

Neither has enjoyed much success in their previous starts here.

Palmer's best finish in nine starts was his tie for fifth a year ago -- he's only top-10 finish. Rollins has missed the cut in seven of his 10 starts, his best finish a tie for 24th in 2007.

But Palmer's 62 ties for the lowest opening-round score in tournament history. Rollins' 63 was his best round at Colonial by four strokes.

Palmer visualizes his name on the Wall of Champions on the first tee.

"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 is now visualizing a duel with Palmer on the back nine Sunday.

"I hope I come out on top," Rollins said.

Of course, there's a long ways to go, and the leaderboard behind Palmer and Rollins is crowded.

Besides the four players at 64, six more players are at 65, including 19-year-old Dallas native Jordan Spieth. In all, 38 players are within five shots of Palmer's lead.

Hoffmann comes off a tie for fifth at last week's HP Byron Nelson Championship, the best finish of his rookie year. He shot a pair of 66s on the weekend and the momentum obviously carried over to Thursday's first round.

"Last week was a big confidence booster," Hoffmann said.

Defending champion Zach Johnson shot a 1-under 69, as did last week's winner, Sang-Moon Bae, who double bogeyed his final hole.

"It's a fairly solid day," Johnson said. "A day I didn't shoot myself out of it."

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Strong Texas winds usually provide Colonial with its main defense against PGA TOUR pros each year. In Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, the winds barely made their presence felt.

What followed was a bevy of red numbers.

Ryan Palmer tied for the lowest opening round in tournament history with an 8-under 62 to lead the assault on Colonial. Eighty-eight of the 135-man field managed par or better. Scoring conditions were ideal.

"This probably the most docile I have seen Colonial," said Daniel Summerhays, making his third start in this event and starting strong with a 65. "Usually the wind is really going."

"I think we got pretty lucky," said Canadian Graham DeLaet after his 6-under 64 in the afternoon. "The wind really didn't kick up too hard and you kind of expect low scoring out here if you can just keep the ball in play and make a few putts."

Added Matt Every after his 65 in the morning: "There was enough wind to know it was there, but not, you know, nothing crazy."

Even in the afternoon, the winds didn't pick up as expected. Plus, the sun rarely appeared, preventing the greens from firming up.

"We actually caught a good break in the afternoon with the cloud cover and the wind staying down," said 19-year-old Texan Jordan Spieth after his 65.

But don't expect those breaks to remain in effect for all four rounds.

"Today is the day to get it," Tommy Gainey said after a 65. "I feel like the wind is going to pick up the next few days. When you play this golf course and when the wind picks up, you're happy with par."

Zach Johnson didn't play his best round but held it together for a 69. (Halleran/Getty Images)

By Fred Albers, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The best moment of the first round was a quiet exchange between caddie and player in the ninth fairway. Ryan Palmer had hit a 303-yard drive on his final hole and followed that up with a wedge to 5 feet. His caddie, James Edmondson, whispered, “Make that putt and you’ll tie my course record.”

Edmondson is a Colonial member and three-time club champion. With Edmondson's encouragement, Palmer made the putt for an 8-under 62. He knows the course so well, Palmer was not afraid to hit driver on most holes and knew his numbers so well, he never needed to look at his yardage book.

Observations

Frustrated: Zach Johnson seemed ready to make his move. He was 1 under and had 98 yards into the sixth green. Johnson pushed his sandwedge 10 yards right of the hole, into a bunker and made bogey enroute to a 69. It was such a bad shot, I wondered if Johnson had been in a divot. “Not a bad lie, just a bad swing,” was his answer. Frequently this season, Johnson seems ready for a charge that doesn’t materialize. He says a “lack of fundamentals” is the problem and while Johnson did not elaborate, he could be referring to his putting.

Johnson ranked eighth and 11th in strokes gained-putting the last two seasons but is 101st this year. He has always had an unusual address position while putting, with his hands even with -- or even slightly behind -- the golf ball. Johnson worked hard last season in getting his hands slightly forward at address but they appear to be even with the ball this year.

Inconsistent: Jason Dufner has had plenty of good rounds this year but has not had a good tournament. He has yet to post a top-10 finish and it’s puzzling. Dufner ranks 72nd in FedExCup points and is 47th in scoring average at 70.857. Dufner has struggled on the weekend, ranking 115th in third-round scoring and 165th in the final round. When a player consistently struggles, he knows he has to make changes. Dufner shows flashes of great play and then fluctuates. That is very frustrating for the player because the game keeps teasing him into thinking everything is fine and he doesn’t know whether to make changes or stay the course.

Color coordinated: Daniel Summerhays knows why he shot 65 in the opening round. Part of it was due to taking 23 putts and making nine birdies while averaging a tournament leading 1.182 putts per green. Those are all good reasons, but Summerhays wanted to talk about his clothing. He wore an orange shirt with gray pants and Summerhays says every time he wears that color combination he plays well. In fact, Summerhays says he might wash the shirt just so he can wear it again this week. If Summerhays keeps taking just 23 putts per round, it won’t matter what color combination he wears.

Let it fly: Colonial is known as a golf course for shot makers. The theory is you play for position off the tee, sacrificing distance for accuracy. Matt Every had a different plan and went with driver more than most other players. Every hit only eight fairways but averaged 302 yards off the tee. It led to a 5-under 65. Every reasoned a cool spring has lead to sparse bermuda rough and the course is not as punishing as it has been in the past.

Fred Albers is a course reporter for SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio. For more information on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, click here.

Watch John Rollins roll in a birdie putt at the 18th hole Thursday.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- John Rollins rolled in his longest putt of the day, a birdie putt just inside 22 feet, to cap off a 7-under 63 in Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

That puts him just one stroke off the lead held by Ryan Palmer, who shot 62 from a morning tee time. Both players are members at Colonial.

Rollins produced the low round of any player teeing off in the afternoon.

The three-time TOUR winner is making his 11th start in this event but has rarely experienced much success at Colonial. He's missed the cut seven times and his best finish is a tie for 24th in 2007.

The 63 is his best round at Colonial by four strokes.

Click below to listen to Rollins discuss his round with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio's Bill Rosinski.

Ryan Palmer had one of the best driving rounds of his career on Thursday. (Halleran/Getty Images)

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The challenge from caddie James Edmondson to his pro, Ryan Palmer, came late on  their back nine in Thursday's first round at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

See if you can match my low score on this course.

"What do you do when you get that thrown at you?" Palmer said with a laugh.

Indeed, it doesn't happen often that a caddie has a better track record at a course than the man whose bag he's carrying.

Palmer is a three-time winner on the PGA TOUR with nearly $14 million in earnings, but it's his good friend Edmondson who knows how to best succeed at Colonial. After all, he's a three-time Colonial club champion.

But with Palmer having the round of his life on his home course -- the Texas native has lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for several years and has been a Colonial member since 2010 -- Edmondson threw down the gauntlet. And Palmer responded. He birdied his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to shoot an 8-under 62.

That ties for the lowest opening round in tournament history. It ties for Palmer's lowest round of his career. And apparently it ties Edmondson's low round on this venerable course.

"We had a good laugh on that one," Palmer said.

It was a day for Palmer to finally feel good.

Two weeks ago, another close friend, Clay Aderholt, died in an auto accident. Palmer, with Clay's initials on his cap, finished tied for fifth that week at THE PLAYERS Championship, a tournament in which he usually struggles. Last week, after traveling back from Aderholt's memorial service, Palmer started strong at the HP Byron Nelson Championship before fading on the weekend.

This week, he's on comfortable and familiar ground. He plays Colonial "at least once or twice" a week during his off-weeks, even more in the winter. On those days, he meets his friends at 12:30 in the afternoon for the "Big Game." He gives them several shots. The laughs are plenty. It's a time for Palmer to enjoy golf without having to grind.

That's probably the reason he's never come close, even in those stress-free outings, to shooting the kind of score he shot on Thursday. He said his lowest practice score has been a 65.

"Half the time, I might grab a few on the back nine and drink it myself," Palmer said with a smile.

But all the rounds left Palmer feeling extremely comfortable on Thursday. He hit 12 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, and the majority of his birdie putts were inside 7 feet.

Palmer used driver on 11 of 14 driving holes and never found trouble. Coming into this week, Palmer ranked 128th in driving accuracy this year on the PGA TOUR.

"I felt comfortable over every tee shot," Palmer said. "... The way I hit it, I drew it up perfectly like I wanted to."

Unlike last week at TPC Four Seasons, Palmer didn't have Edmondson choosing his club for each shot. They've used that approach the last three years at the HP Byron Nelson, but for every other tournament, it's Palmer who has final say.

At Colonial, he doesn't even need to use his yardage book. He knows the course that well.

"It helps, obviously, the experience I have had here," Palmer said.

Nothing would delight him more than to see his name on the Wall of Champions at the first tee box. Having that honor at a club in which he's a member would be extra special. He said he dreams about it all the time.

"I can't begin to tell you what it would mean if it happens," Palmer said. "Hopefully I'll be able to tell you on Sunday."

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Rickie Fowler chipped in for birdie from 38 feet on the par-5 11th during Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Orange and gray have worked well for Summerhays this month. (Ehrmann/Getty Images)

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Earlier this month, Daniel Summerhays wore an orange shirt and gray slacks for the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship. He posted eight birdies that day en route to a 5-under 67.

On Thursday in the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, he wore the same outfit ... and tied his career-high with nine birdies en route to shooting a 5-under 65.

Coincidence? He thinks not.

"It's probably the orange and gray outfit," Summerhays said. "I seem to make a lot of birdies in this outfit.

"Maybe I can wash this a little bit and use it the rest of the day."

Had it not been for a double bogey at the par-4 ninth when his approach shot landed in the water guarding the front of the green, he'd be right on the heels of Ryan Palmer, the leader who shot a bogey-free 62 with eight birdies.

Summerhays had an early tee time Thursday, and with almost no wind, conditions at Colonial were ripe for scoring. He doesn't expect it to stay that way.

"It's going to start showing its teeth," said Summerhays, whose best result this year a a tie for seventh at the Valero Texas Open, his last start in the state. "I was glad to make the birdies while I could."

Matt Kuchar reflects on his first round with Bill Rosinski from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- As much as Matt Kuchar loves Colonial -- "One of my favorite courses on the PGA TOUR," he says -- his results haven't been particularly impressive.

Although Kuchar has made every cut in six previous starts at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, his only top-10 finish was a ninth in 2008. Consider this: Between 2010-12, Kuchar posted top-10 finishes in 40 percent of his starts, but he's 0-for-3 at this tournament.

"I probably haven't been quite as sharp as I would like to be around this time," Kuchar explained. "I'd say this year I feel a lot sharper."

He certainly looked a lot sharper in Thursday's first round, shooting a 5-under 65 -- his lowest opening round at Colonial by three strokes.

Starting his round off the 10th tee, Kuchar credited his opening tee shot to setting the tone. Instead of pulling a hybrid as he normally does on the hole, he opted for a 3-wood, an aggressive play that paid off when he found the fairway and needed only a pitching wedge from 127 yards.

His approach landed inside 7 feet, and he drained the birdie for a quick start.

"There was some good momentum going after hitting a couple of good shots and getting off to a birdie on my first hole," Kuchar said.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Following an 1-under 69 in Thursday's opening round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, defending champion Zach Johnson reflects on his play with Fred Albers from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.

Ryan Palmer discusses his 62 on Thursday with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio's Fred Albers.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Ryan Palmer, a member at Colonial Country Club, shot a bogey-free 8-under 62 in Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, tying for the lowest opening round in tournament history.

The 62 also ties Palmer's career low round. It's the fifth time he has shot 62 at a TOUR event.

Palmer joins Patrick Sheehan (2005), David Toms (2011) and Chez Reavie (2011) for low opening round.

Palmer's 62 is also just the eighth recorded in any round at Colonial. The course record of 61 is held by six players.

Palmer's 62 leaves him atop the leaderboard midway through the first round, two shots ahead of Morgan Hoffmann.

Starting on the 10th hole, Palmer reeled off four consecutive birdies starting at No. 14. After making the turn, he birdied the par-5 first hole, and then birdied three of his last four holes.

Five of Palmer's eight birdie putts were less than 7 feet, as he had his irons dialed in all day.

RYAN PALMER'S LOWEST ROUNDS ON PGA TOUR