FORT WORTH, Texas, May 19 (UPI) -- David Toms shook off the disappointment of last week to grab a share of the lead Thursday after one round of the Colonial Invitational.
Toms and Chez Reavie both fired an 8-under 62 at the Colonial Country Club on a day of low scoring that saw Rickie Fowler come close to equaling the all-time PGA Tour record for nine holes.
Fowler, who began his round on the 10th hole, needed a birdie on the short, par-4 ninth hole to shoot a 26 on his closing nine. There has been only one nine-hole score of 26 shot in the history of the tour, that coming from Corey Pavin at Milwaukee's Brown Deer Golf Club in 2006.
Instead, Fowler put his second shot in the water, double bogeyed the hole and finished with a 63 that left him alone in third place.
Only the Masters among PGA Tour events has been contested on the same course as long as the Colonial, which began in 1946. The course is a clear example of what technology has meant to the game since low scores are now commonplace on what was once one of the most difficult tests on the tour.
The course record was once 65 and that mark stood for a generation. In Thursday's first round, however, 11 players shot 65 or better.
Brandon de Jonge, Stewart Cink, Brian Gay, Nathan Green and Charlie Wi all were at 64 in a tie for fourth while those at 65 included Rod Pampling, John Senden and Mark Wilson, a two-time tour winner this year.
Toms, 44, had the lead with three holes to go last week at the Players Championship before falling behind heading to the 18th. He birdied that hole to force a sudden death playoff, but lost on the first extra hole to K.C. Choi.
Both Toms and Reavie had a bogey-free round Thursday. Toms is nearing the 10th anniversary of his lone major championship while Reavie's only victory on the tour came at the 2008 Canadian Open.
